Dermatologists often treat patients with complications arising from illegal cosmetic practices. Large numbers of non-medical personnel who claim to be “beauty experts” currently offer laser treatment, surgery, or injections that result in serious complications. Here we report two cases of adverse events: one after epilation with an unidentified laser device and the other after rhytidectomy performed using an unproven surgical method. Dermatologists should be aware of these complications and be able to educate both patients and fellow doctors about the potential risks.
Hair Removal ; Humans ; Methods ; Rhytidoplasty

BACKGROUND: Thin hairs are critical to achieve natural result in female hairline correction surgery. However, there are few studies on the usefulness of hair thinning by intense pulsed light (IPL) after hairline correction surgery in East Asian females. METHODS: Hair thinning using IPL was performed in 54 women who had complained about thick hairs along the frontal hairline after hairline correction surgery. Patient mean age was 31.2 years old and patients were an average of 2.1 years post-hairline correction surgery. Initial treatment used 10 J, while second and third sessions were conducted with 10 to 15 J according to responsiveness to treatment. RESULTS: Mean thickness of individual hairs assessed before the procedure was 78.86 µm. The mean number of procedures was 1.6 per patient. Forty of 54 subjects (74%) achieved satisfactory hair thinning with only one procedure from 78.01 to 66.14 µm after treatment. The measured thickness was 66.43 µm at the end of the first year in patients who were satisfied after one procedure. Thirteen cases achieved satisfactory hair thinning after two sessions. Mean thickness was 74.44 µm and 67.51 µm, before and after the second session. One case required a third session with 15J, thinning from 89.00 to 66.50 µm. CONCLUSIONS: Hair thinning by IPL is a very useful method to provide a natural look after hairline correction surgery in East Asians, who have naturally thick hair.
Asian Continental Ancestry Group* ; Female ; Hair ; Hair Follicle ; Hair Removal* ; Humans ; Laser Therapy ; Methods

Experimental dermatophyte infections are essential for studying dermatophytosis. Induction of standard infections depends on control of three factors-spore dose, scarification, and species of the experimental animals. The authors evaluated the three factors in the experimental infection models, which were inoculated with quantitated spore solution of N.gypsea “+” and A. benhomiae “+” in rabbit, guinea pig, rat, and mouse. The results were as follows. 1. Infection was correlated with concentration of inoculums. 2. In traumatization method, abrasion with knife was the most effective for inoculation, followed by pricking, epilation, and shaving of hair in decreasing order. 3. Rabbit and guinea pig were more susceptible to dermatophyte infection rather than the rat and mouse. However, the mouse was not infected at all. 4. Guinea pig was the proper animal model for experimental dermatophytosis in susceptibility, degree of clinical response, and duration of the infection. 5. A.benhamiae “+” showed more severe inflammation and shorter course the N.gypsea “+”.
Animals* ; Arthrodermataceae* ; Guinea Pigs ; Hair ; Hair Removal ; Inflammation ; Methods ; Mice ; Models, Animal ; Rats ; Spores ; Tinea

Phthiriasis palpebrarum is a rare disease in which crab lice infest the eyelashes. It can cause pruritic lid margins or unusual blepharoconjunctivitis and is difficult to diagnose and treat. We diagnosed and managed a case of phthiriasis palpebrarum in both upper eyelids, accompanied by nits, on the scalp of a 6 year-old female child. We removed the eyelashes, including lice and nits, by pulling with fine forceps without sedation. On the second month after treatment, all lice and nits were eradicated without recurrence and the eyelashes grew back. In conclusion, phthiriasis palpebrarum can be diagnosed by close examination of the eyelashes and eyelid margins with slit lamp and can be managed mechanically.
Child ; *Eyelashes ; Eyelid Diseases/*therapy ; Female ; *Hair Removal/methods ; Human ; Lice Infestations/*therapy ; *Phthirus

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the cutaneous histological and ultrastructural changes of dogs following hair removal by Alexandrite laser.

METHODSSeven healthy dogs with dark hair were treated for hair removal with the Alexandrite laser and skin biopsies were taken after 0.5 h, 2, 3, 5, 10, and 30 days. Specimens were examined with light microscopy and transmission electron microscopy.

RESULTLaser-treated specimens showed widespread coagulation and charring subcutaneous hair shafts. These obviously damaged follicles were randomly dispersed among intact follicles within the same treatment sites. Microscopic changes were also seen in the basal epidermis where melanin was concentrated. A low level of inflammatory response was seen up to 10 days followed laser treatment. The efficiency in higher fluence test area was better than the lower one; the degree of damaged follicles with double pulse was similar to that with single pulse.

CONCLUSIONAlexandrite laser irradiation results in selective damage to follicles and microscopic changes in the basal epidermis. Alexandrite laser hair removal does not lead to scar formation; the efficiency of laser hair removal is fluence-depent; the degree of damaged follicles with double pulse is not different with single one; the cooled hand piece can minimize epidermal injury.

Animals ; Dogs ; Hair Removal ; methods ; Laser Therapy ; Microscopy, Electron ; Skin ; pathology ; ultrastructure

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the hair-removal effect of intense pulsed light (IPL).

METHODSThe unwanted hairs were removed with ELITE plus IPL. The treatment took 3 - 5 procedures, with an interval of over 2 months. 341 patients underwent the treatment.

RESULTSAll the patients were well tolerant without anesthesia. The unwanted hairs were wholly removed after 3 - 5 procedures. After operation, routine cleaning and make-up were allowed and bandaging was not necessary. There were blister in 3 cases and infection in 1 case. No pigmentation and scarring happened. Following-up of 3 - 6 months showed steady results with less regeneration of very thin and soft hair.

CONCLUSIONSIPL is an ideal hair-removal method because of the credible effect, simple operation, rapid treatment and no serious complications.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Child ; Female ; Hair Removal ; methods ; Humans ; Light ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo observe the histological and ultrastructural changes of the skin and hair follicles following hair removal by alexandrite laser in Tibet mini-pigs.

METHODSTwelve healthy Tibet mini-pigs with dark hair were treated with alexandrite laser for hair removal. The skin specimens were taken immediately and at 1 h and 1, 3, 5, 10, 15, 30, 60 days after the laser treatment for observation under optical and transmission electron microscope.

RESULTSLaser hair removal resulted in extensive coagulation necrosis, carbonization and falling of the subcutaneous hair shafts, and some of the cells in the outer root sheath and hair bulb underwent degenerative and necrotic changes. One hour after laser treatment, the cells in the outer root sheath and bulb exhibited nuclear condensation, fragmentation and or karyolysis characteristic of cell apoptosis. The cell apoptosis reached the peak level on day 3 after the laser exposure, accompanied by endothelial degeneration in the hair papilla vessels, edema and lymphocyte infiltration in the dermal tissues. Tissue reaction and inflammation were relieved on day 5, and the dermal tissue and follicles recovered their normal structures on day 10. At 60 days after the treatment, the hair follicles decreased markedly but the structure of the residue follicles remained normal.

CONCLUSIONAlexandrite laser exposure results in selective destruction of the follicles by inducing direct coagulation and cell apoptosis to achieve permanent hair removal. Tibet mini-pigs with black hair can be used as the animal model of clinical laser hair removal.

Animals ; Hair Follicle ; radiation effects ; ultrastructure ; Hair Removal ; methods ; Lasers, Solid-State ; therapeutic use ; Microscopy, Electron, Transmission ; Swine ; Tibet

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the hair-removal effect of IPL for hairy skin grafts.

METHODS10 patients with hairy skin grafts were treated with IPL (ELITEplus) for hair removal 3 to 5 times at intervals of 2 months. The patients received IPL(610 - 1 000 nm) with spot size of 10 mm x 50 mm, pulse width of 5 msec with a delay of 2 - 20 msec, fluence of 30 - 38.3 J/cm2 .

RESULTSThe treatment was well tolerated with no need of anesthesia in all the patients. The hairs were removed completely after 3 to 5 treatments. The treated site could be washed as usual with no need of dressing. There was no blister, infection, hyperpigmentation and scarring. Only vellus were existed during the follow-up period of 6 - 12 months.

CONCLUSIONSIPL is a safe and reliable method to remove unwanted hair on skin grafts. It can be easily performed with a lower complication.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Burns ; surgery ; Female ; Hair Removal ; methods ; Humans ; Male ; Skin Transplantation ; methods ; Surgical Flaps ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVELow hairline is one of the most troublesome problem in auricle reconstruction. There was no satisfactory way to manage the problem. This article discuss surgical depilation to deal with this problem and reconstructed auricle.

METHODSAccording to the degree of the low hairline, Postaurical scalp was expanded and part of the lower follicles within the dermal were removed, or postaurical scalp that part of lower follicles and dermal had been removed was expanded and covered skeleton of ear with this expanded skin to reconstructed auricle.

RESULTSAuricles were reconstructed with this method in 152 lowhairline microtial cases, the result was very satisfactory.

CONCLUSIONThis procedure is an effective way to deal with low hairline in reconstructing auricle.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Child ; Ear, External ; abnormalities ; surgery ; Female ; Hair Removal ; methods ; Humans ; Male ; Reconstructive Surgical Procedures ; methods ; Scalp ; surgery ; Surgical Flaps ; Tissue Expansion

OBJECTIVETo investigate the therapeutic effect of scalp expanded flap combined with JPL hair removal for large area scar on forehead.

METHODSFrom Jul. 2010 to Nov. 2012, 9 cases with large area scar on forehead received treatment of adjacent scalp expanded flap combined with JPL hair removal. One the first stage, the expander was implanted under the scalp near the forehead scar, followed hy expansion process. When the expansion was completed, the expanded flap was transferred to cover the wound after scar excision. 10 days after flap transposition, the forehead hair line was designed and extra hair on flap underwent JPL hair removal. After 3-5 treatments, the hair on flap was almost removed.

RESULTSAll the scalp flaps survived completely. JPL hair removal had exact effect. The patients were followed up for 5-11 months. The hair density on the flap decreased hy more than 90%. The flap had a good match with surrounding facial skin in color, texture and thickness. The reconstructed forehead hair line was satisfactory.

CONCLUSIONSIt is a good option to reconstruct large area scar on forehead with scalp expanded flap comhined with IPL hair removal.

Cicatrix ; surgery ; Forehead ; injuries ; surgery ; Graft Survival ; Hair Removal ; methods ; Humans ; Scalp ; Surgical Flaps ; transplantation ; Tissue Expansion ; methods ; Tissue Expansion Devices