A new study published in Lasers in Medical Science aimed to compare the response to treatment by laser hair reduction with long-pulsed (1064 nm) Nd:YAG laser in patients of idiopathic hirsutism and polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), by clinical and trichoscopic assessment. 

This hospital-based comparative, observational prospective study was conducted on female patients with hirsutism over a period of 18 months, with two groups of participants – fifty women with idiopathic hirsutism (group A); and fifty with PCOS (group B). Laser hair reduction was done with long-pulsed (1064 nm) Nd:YAG laser in both groups – up to six sessions, four weeks apart, and followed for three months post last laser session. 

It was observed that after the sixth session of laser hair reduction, excellent response > 75% reduction from baseline was seen in 70% of patients in group A and in 54% of patients in group B. The results persisted in patients with idiopathic cause than in those due to PCOS, on the 3-month follow-up – with respect to decrease in hair shaft thickness, hair shaft color, terminal versus vellus hair ratio and hair density per cm².

The findings suggested that hirsutism due to idiopathic cause responds better to laser hair reduction with long-pulsed (1064 nm) Nd:YAG laser than that due to PCOS, due to underlying hormonal imbalance in the latter group. 

Source: Lasers in Medical Science. 2021; 2021: 5560386.doi: 10.1155/2021/5560386