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Updated: May 3, 2026
Clinical Application of Intense Pulsed Light Therapy and Radio Frequency for Treatment of Ocular Surface Diseases
Published on: July 3, 2025
Home hair removal in all skin types with a combined radiofrequency and optical energy source device
Jerome M Garden1, Brian Zelickson, Michael H Gold
1Departments of Dermatology and Biomedical Engineering, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois.
Background:
Home hair removal devices are available for skin types I to IV. Side effects may limit hair removal in darker-pigmented individuals.
Objective:
To evaluate a home hair removal device using combined radiofrequency (RF) and intense pulsed light (IPL) energy for effectiveness and safety with all skin types (I-VI).
Design:
Two study designs: effectiveness (treating 94 bilateral patient areas weekly seven times, with one side then receiving three additional treatments at 4-week intervals) and safety (37 patient areas treated every 2-4 days for three sessions).
Measurements:
Hairs were counted 3 months after treatment for the first design and 2 months after for the second.
Results:
In the first study design, 55% hair count reduction was achieved1 month after seven treatments to all sites. The side with no further sessions had 43% hair reduction and the side receiving ongoing treatment had 58% reduction after two further treatments. Side effects were transient and minor. In the second study, with 46% of the patients having skin types V/VI, 2 months after the procedure there was 44% hair reduction. There were no adverse effects reported.
Conclusion:
For the first time, a home hair removal device has been shown to be effective and safe in all skin types using a low-energy RF-IPL device.
