Treatment of terminal and vellus non-pigmented hairs with an optical/bipolar radiofrequency energy source-with and without pre-treatment using topical aminolevulinic acid.

Objective: The present study compares the 6-month hair removal efficacy of a combined pulsed light bipolar radiofrequency device with and without pre-treatment using topical aminolevulinic acid.

Methods: Fifteen adult females, skin phenotypes II-IV were entered into the study. Ten subjects were determined to have white terminal hairs; an additional five females presented with fine facial vellus hairs. Unwanted facial hair was treated twice at 4-6 week intervals with a combined optical bipolar radiofrequency source. At each treatment half of the treatment area was pre-treated with topical aminolevulinic acid; the other half was not. Follow-up visits were undertaken at 6 months after the second treatment. Hair counts were obtained before treatment and 6 months after the final treatment.

Results: An average terminal white hair removal of 35% was observed at 6 months after treatment with the combined pulsed light bipolar radiofrequency device. When pre-treatment with topical aminolevulinic acid was provided the average hair removal of terminal white hairs was found to be 48%. None of the five subjects with vellus hair were noted to respond to either treatment.

Conclusions: Combined radiofrequency and optical light treatment leads to effective hair removal of terminal white hairs. This improvement is increased with pre-treatment use of topical aminolevulinic acid. Vellus nonpigmented hairs did not respond to treatment.