Clinical Evaluation of Hair Removal Using an 810 nm Diode Laser With a Novel Scanning Device

Excessive hair growth and the growth of hair in anatomic areas that are not cosmetically desirable is a common aesthetic problem. Photo-epilation is a preferred mode for hair removal compared to the conventional methods such as waxing and needle epilation in terms of safety, clearance efficacy, time saving, and ease of use.¹ The lasers available to treat unwanted hair include the ruby laser (694 nm), the alexandrite laser (755 nm), the diode laser (800– 810 nm), the Nd:YAG (neodymium-doped yttrium aluminum garnet) laser (1064 nm), and intense pulsed light (IPL; 590–1200 nm) devices.² Among the various photo-epilation technologies, the long pulse 810 nm diode laser has demonstrated the best results and has been preferred by patients in a comparative study.^3,4Diode lasers are the most popular preference for hair removal due to the deep penetration and targeting of the hair follicle. Often referred to as the gold standard in hair removal, the diode laser 810 nm wavelength is one that is highly reliable, has high papilla absorption, and can address a wide range of skin types, including skin types V and VI.Numerous published studies evaluating long pulse 810 nm diode lasers^5-8 show long-term satisfactory hair clearance with comparable results. Other studies have also evaluated the variable parameters of diode lasers. Previous research has shown that high fluence, low repetition rate diode lasers, and low fluence, high repetition rate lasers present comparable short⁹ and long-term hair removal results.^10,11 The effect of an 810 nm diode laser with low fluence and long pulse duration, even without cooling, was examined and demonstrated to reduce pain and risks while maintaining clinical efficacy in long term hair removal.¹² However, the contribution of contact cooling to the safety of hair removal, along with the ability to use high fluence for efficacy, is also well established.¹³ The use of a scanning mechanism in 800 nm diode laser handpiece can potentially speed up an effective hair removal treatment without the need for multiple passes.¹⁴The objective of the current clinical study was to evaluate the safety and efficacy of hair removal using an 810 nm scanning diode laser. Short and medium-term follow-up results (3 and 6 months after last treatment) were assessed.

An 810 nm laser using a scanning handpiece (Diolaze, InMode MD Ltd., Israel) was used in this study to determine hair reduction results. The laser has an 8 mm x 50 mm sapphire crystal that emits an 810 nm wavelength through scanning of short (30 ms) or long (80 ms) series of pulses and repetition rate that can be adjusted from single to auto-repeat (1-0.5 pps). The maximum fluence is 60 J/cm2.To increase patient comfort, the laser emission zone is surrounded by a plate that offers triple cooling during treatment. Such