Summary
Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is one of the most common reasons for women to present
seeking removal of facial hair, particularly within the UK National Health Service
(NHS). In the NHS, there is geographical variation in the number of laser treatments
available to women with PCOS, with some units limiting patients to six treatments
whilst others allow unlimited treatments. This study aims to assess the effect of
number of treatments on women with PCOS.
Methods
This study prospectively assessed hair counts, hair-free intervals and patient satisfaction
in 60 women with PCOS undergoing 3 ms pulse duration alexandrite laser treatment.
Results
Following six treatments there was a mean 31±38% reduction in hair counts (mean±SD; P=0.001). Mean hair-free interval (HFI) increased steadily with treatment, from 1.9
weeks after six treatments to 4.3 weeks after 10 treatments (P=0.001). From the postal questionnaire, after an average of 12 treatments, 31% of patients
had a HFI longer than 6 weeks compared to only 2.6% after six treatments (P=0.003). Overall, despite the low hair count reductions, 95% of patients were satisfied
with treatment.
Conclusion
In women with PCOS, laser treatment is associated with a poorer than expected reduction
in hair counts and HFI following treatment. However, offering more than six treatments
does have additional benefits in terms of prolonging HFI and overall patient satisfaction
with treatment is very high.
Keywords
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Article info
Publication history
Published online: January 17, 2007
Accepted:
November 6,
2006
Received:
April 25,
2006
Footnotes
☆Presented at the American Society for Lasers in Medicine and Surgery meeting, Orlando, Florida, 1 April 2005; also presented at the Winter Meeting, British Association Plastic Surgeons, Royal College of Surgeons, London, 2 December 2004; also presented at the British Skin Laser Study Group Meeting, Annual Meeting, Epsom, 11 May 2005.
Identification
Copyright
© 2006 Published by Elsevier Inc.
