Efficacy and Safety of Alexandrite and Nd:YAG Laser Combination in Permanent Hair Removal

Background and Objective: Unwanted hair growth is a discomforting issue affecting both genders. People have tried various methods to get rid of this situation. This study aims to evaluate the efficacy and safety of a combined Alexandrite and Nd:YAG laser treatment for permanent hair removal, drawing insights from existing literature. Materials and Methods:This study included a total of 2127 patients (302 males, 1825 females) aged 18 - 65, with complete data, who underwent hair removal treatment between December 2018 and April 2021. These patients were treated using the Duetta laser system (Quanta system, Samarate, Italy), combining Alexandrite 755 nm and Nd:YAG 1064 nm wavelengths. The patients’ skin types were classified according to the Fitzpatrick classification scale. Target area/areas for laser hair removal was/were determined. Laser parameters, pulse counts, pain levels assessed through the Visual Pain Scale (VPS), and patient satisfaction were documented based on skin types. Findings: Across various skin types, Types I - II exhibited the highest treatment success rates (87%), with the axillary region achieving the highest rate (83%) and the face region achieving the lowest rate (75%). Pain scale analysis indicated that 98% of patients tolerated the procedure well. Patient satisfaction levels exceeded 90%. Evaluation of complication rates revealed minimal occurrences. Conclusion: The combined Alexandrite and Nd:YAG laser system demonstrates both efficacy and safety across diverse skin types, attributed to its notable success rates, minimal adverse effects, and high patient tolerance.

Quantitative evaluation of enhanced laser tattoo removal by skin optical clearing

Lasers have been widely used for tattoo removal,but the limited light penetration depth calused by high skin scattering property restricts the therapeutic outcome of deep tattoo.Skin optical clearing method,by introducing optical clearing agent(OCA)into skin,has shown some im-provement in the effect of laser tattoo removal.In this study,the enhanced laser tattoo removal has been quantitatively assessed.OCA was applied to the skin of tattoo animal model and Q switched Nd:YAG laser(1064 nm)irradiation was used to remove the tattoo.The skin evaluation instrument(Mexameter probe,MPA580)was applied to measure the content of tattoo pigment before and after laser treatment,and then the clearance rate of pigment was calculated.Further,Monte Carlo(MC)method was utilized to simulate the efecet of skin optical clearing on light transmission in tattoo skin model.By comparing the pigment change of tattoo areas respectively treated with OCA plus laser and single laser,it was found that pigment clearance of the former tattoo area was increased by 1.5-fold.Further,the MC simulation verifed that the reduced light scattering in skin could increase the effective dose of lumninous fux reaching to the deep tattoo regions.It can be concluded from both experiment and theoretical simulations that skin optical clearing technique could improve the outcome of laser tattoo re moval,which should be beneficial for clinical laser tattoo removal and other laser pigment elimination.

Influence of water environment on paint removal and the selection criteria of laser parameters

Laser paint removal in a water environment does not diffuse ablation pollution products into air.Characteristics of water,such as high specific heat and heat flux,generate different effects of the laser paint removal than in an air environment.In this study,the effects of air and water environments on the mechanism and effect of laser paint removal are analyzed and compared experimentally and theoretically.In air,thermodynamic ablation causes removal of paint,whereas in water,stress coupled with plasma shock waves cause tear and splash removal of paint layers after fracture and damage.Fracture and pressure thresholds of the paint and substrate,respectively,indicate the optimum energy density range for laser paint removal in water,providing a reference for engineering applications.

Triple Wavelength and 810 nm Diode Lasers for Hair Removal: A Clinical and in Silico Comparative Study on Indian Skin

In laser hair removal treatments on dark skin, the high concentration of melanin in the skin competes with the melanin in the hair. During standard laser procedures, with wavelengths of 755 nm or 810 nm, a high level of laser light absorption by melanin in the skin is observed. Therefore, to avoid side effects, lower fluence values are used, which further reduces hair-removal efficacy. To improve results, 810 nm diode lasers operating in dynamic mode, with high frequency and multiple passes, are typically used. The aim of this study is to compare the efficacy and safety of triple-wavelength diode lasers (810 nm, 940 nm, 1060 nm) with that of 810 nm diode lasers on Indian patients. A side-by-side comparison was performed using a triple-wavelength diode laser in stamping mode on one side, and an 810 nm diode laser in dynamic mode on the other. Three subjects with skin type IV on the Fitzpatrick scale participated in the study. Efficacy was assessed through hair counting using clinical photographs, taken before and after the treatments, and the Global Aesthetic Improvement Scale (GAIS). Additionally, comparisons related to epidermal heating and thermal damage to the hair follicle were conducted through mathematical 3D simulations using COMSOL Multiphysics® software. Side effects were also evaluated. A superior end point was observed with triple wavelength compared to the 810 nm diode laser. Hair counting showed a 27% greater hair reduction with triple wavelength. No adverse effects were observed. Thermal simulations revealed 29% higher thermal damage with the triple-wavelength laser compared to the 810 nm diode laser. To conclude, on darker skin types, the triple-wavelength diode laser has been shown to be more effective at removing hair, compared to the 810 nm diode laser, while also being a safe procedure.

Mechanism and threshold fluence of nanosecond pulsed laser paint removal

In this paper, the nanosecond pulse laser surface treatment of the waterborne anti-rust paint on HT250 gray cast iron was carried out. The area and depth of the per-pulse laser ablation paint layer were measured. The threshold of laser energy density was determined through the relations with ablation area and depth. The paint removal mechanism was discussed by analyzing the ablation features of the paint layer on laser cleaning. The features of the paint removal under various laser energy densities were characterized, and the process parameters in the experiments were investigated.The results showed that there were four thresholds and three kinds of mechanisms in the paint removal process with nanosecond pulsed laser. The ablation threshold of substrate was deepened on the laser parameters. The ablation processes were included thermal ablation, thermal vibration and paint ionization concurrently, respectively. The surface cracks and paint debris were observed at the edge of the cleaning path, which were ascribed to the vibration effect by laser. In addition, the vibration effect could significantly increase the width of paint removal. Paint ionization has also a significant influence on the substrate morphology. Paint ionization would have an obvious impact on the formation of the substrate morphology. It is desirable to fabricate approach to remove the paint layer without damaging the substrate under optimized laser parameters by nanosecond pulse laser.