Light-Based Home-Use Hair Removal Devices

Abstract

Background: The use of light-based home-use hair removal devices has seen a significant increase in the last decade all over the world. Home-based devices would be especially more relevant in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, with patients having less access to laser hair removal in clinics. This survey attempted to evaluate the practices-related use of light-based home-use hair removal devices in our region and also to assess patient satisfaction related to the same. Materials and Methods: This was a cross-sectional survey using an electronic questionnaire. Results: Out of a total of 111 valid responses, 39 had used light-based home-use hair removal devices. The most common type used was intense pulse light-based devices. On a scale of 1–10, the average satisfaction with the product for hair removal was 6.07. Incidence of side effects was very low (only 4 out of 39 mentioned side effects), and the most common side effects mentioned were redness, “bumps,” burns, and discoloration on the lased sites. Conclusions: The frequency of use of light-based home hair removal devices is quite high in our region. Patients seem to be satisfied with the same, and the incidence of side effects is low in our population.

Evaluating the effectiveness of laser hair reduction using a home use laser in comparison to a Diode laser

“…There is a range of home-use laser devices including the Silk'n™ Flash & Go with a wavelength of 475-1200 nm [13,14]. The number of light-based home-use lasers available in the market has significantly increased since the COVID-19 pandemic when social distancing impacted non-essential medical services [15]. According to Austin et al (2021), home-use devices were identified to treat various conditions and concluded that all devices had favourable safety features with few significant side-effects, however, the limitations to the review included a limited amount of randomized controlled trails and a lack of data on the long-term efficacy and safety of the devices [16].…”