Safety of Laser Hair Removal in Patients Receiving Systemic Isotretinoin for Acne Vulgaris.

Abstract

A few reports on scar and keloid formation in patients receiving systemic isotretinoin have encouraged a conservative approach in which laser procedures are delayed during and 6 to 12 months after the completion of treatment. To assess the safety of laser hair removal with alexandrite, diode, and Nd:YAG lasers in patients receiving systemic isotretinoin treatment. Fifty-two patients who underwent laser hair removal during isotretinoin treatment were retrospectively analyzed and compared with a control group for side effects. There were 48 female and 4 male patients. The average isotretinoin dose was 33.7 mg/d. The average interval between the start of isotretinoin treatment and the first laser hair removal was 39.3 days. The mean number of sessions under treatment was 4.1. Three patients had temporary crusting, and 1 patient had a small area of temporary hypopigmentation. Five (9.6%) patients in the control group had crusting. The incidence of side effects was not significantly different between the 2 groups (p > .05). Neither patients in the isotretinoin group nor those in the control group experienced blistering, pigmentation, ulceration, and scar or keloid formation. Laser hair removal is a safe procedure with alexandrite, diode, and Nd:YAG lasers in patients receiving systemic isotretinoin.