Efficacy of intense pulsed light in hirsutism

Unwanted hair growth presents a significant problem for many patients and considerable resources are spent to achieve a hair-free appearance. Our aim of this study was to further evaluate the efficacy of this method in hirsutism in our region. Sixty patients with idiopathic hirsutism presenting to Dermatology Clinics of Tabriz University of Medical Sciences from September 2007 to March 2009 were classified in three groups regarding the site of hirsutism (chine, face, or mustache). All patients underwent IPL-therapy every month for six sessions. The changes in number and diameter of regional hairs were recorded at the end of each session. The patients had the mean age of 25.50+/-3.01 years (18-33 year). The disease was in chin in 26 cases (43.3%), face in 18 patients (30%) and mustache in 16 (26.7%). The skin type was III in 49 (81.7%) or IV in 11 (18.3%) patients. The positive therapeutic response after sixth session in total and in chin, face and mustache were 86.43, 88.66, 86.95 and 82.19%, respectively. The therapeutic response was not statistically significant in different body regions. The hair number in all treated regions was decrease significantly in each session in comparison with the first therapeutic session (p<0.05). Also, the hair diameter at the end of last session was decreased significantly in comparison with the first session in all treated regions (p<0.05). Regarding the high efficacy (86.42%) of IPL in treatment of facial hirsutism and absence of side effect, it is recommended as an effective treatment modality in hirsutism.