Efficacy of 755 nm semiconductor laser during the auricular reconstruction for hair removal

Abstract

Objective To compare the clinical efficacy and patient satisfaction of 755 nm semiconductor laser for hair removal during different stages of auricular reconstruction. Methods From July 2016 to September 2018, 86 patients who had ear reconstruction underwent 755 nm semiconductor laser for auricle hair removal in plastic surgery department of Tongji hospital affiliated to Tongji medical college of Huazhong university of science and technology. There were 39 males and 47 females with an average age 12 years old(from 6 to 28 years old). 28 cases were left ear, 58 cases were right ear. With random grouping, 40 patients underwent auricle hair removal treatment after posterior ear tissue expander implantation (post-operation of stage Ⅰ depilation group) and 46 patients underwent treatment after auricular reconstruction (post-operation of stage Ⅱ depilation group). Auricle hair removal treatments(pulse width 10-20 ms, wave length 755 nm, spot size 10 mm×15 mm, energy density 4-8 J/cm2) were respectively started at different intervention time. Each treatment time were 5-10 minutes. The end of the treatment was slight redness or edema of the local hairy follicle. The treatment was repeated every 4 weeks with a total of 5 times. The number of adverse reactions was recorded as while as the hair density, hair clearance rate and patient satisfaction before treatment and 6 months after the 5th depilation. Results Patients in both groups successfully were completed the treatment and were followed up to about 6 months (23 to 25 weeks) after the last depilation treatment. There were only 2 cases with scratch in skin preparation and 2 cases with blisters in the postoperative of stage Ⅱ group. None of the other patients had adverse reactions. Hair density after treatment (27.63±7.75 bar/cm2) was less than before treatment (84.55±13.68 bar/cm2) in post-operation of stage Ⅰ depilation group. Hair density after treatment was 40.52±5.92 bar/cm2 in post-operation of stage Ⅱ depilation group, less than before treatment (74.78±11.19 bar/cm2). The differences were statistically significant (both P<0.001). After hair removal, the hair density of post-treatment in the post-operation of stage Ⅰ depilation group was less than the post-operation of stage Ⅱ depilation group. The difference was statistically significant (P=0.000). The hair clearance rate of the post-operation of stage Ⅰ (67.32%) was higher than the post-operation of stage Ⅱ(45.81%). The difference was statistically significant (P<0.001). Patients’ satisfaction was 87.5% in the post-operation of stage Ⅰ and 69.5% in the post-operation of stage Ⅱ. The former was superior to the latter. Conclusions Auricle hair removal with semiconductor 755 nm laserstarted at stage Ⅰ that posterior ear tissue expander was implanted has more favorable clinical efficacy, and higher patient’s satisfaction rate. Key words: Semiconductor laser; Reconstruction of auricle; Depilation