The Effect of Laser Hair Removal on Permanent Hair Reduction

April 29, 2015 updated by: Jeffrey S. Orringer, University of Michigan

The Effect of Laser Hair Removal on Markers of Follicular Stem Cells

The purpose of this study is to learn more about how hair removal with lasers achieves, what appears to be, permanent hair reduction. Laser hair removal has become one of the most popular and commonly performed procedures in cosmetic dermatology. However, relatively little is known about how the permanent reduction in the treated areas occurs. Recently, it has been discovered that certain cells in the hair follicle must be destroyed in order to achieve permanent hair reduction. A marker of these types of cells known as keratin 15 has been identified. By measuring the amount of keratin 15 before and after laser therapy, we hope to gain a better understanding of how lasers cause hair reduction on a biochemical level.

Study Overview

Status

Completed

Conditions

Intervention / Treatment

Detailed Description

Laser hair removal has become one of the most popular and commonly performed procedures in cosmetic dermatology. However, relatively little is known about the mechanisms involved in achieving what clinically appears to be permanent reduction in hair density in treated areas. We postulate that in order to achieve permanent hair reduction, stem cells located in the bulge region of the follicle must be destroyed. Recently, a marker of follicular stem cells (keratin 15) has been identified and noted to be detectable using immunohistochemical techniques. In addition, several other immunohistochemical markers for various components of the hair follicle are available.

We propose to quantitatively measure the effects of laser hair removal on the immunohistochemical staining properties of treated follicles with respect to keratin 15 and other follicular markers. We hypothesize that the degree of such staining will be greatly reduced following laser therapy, thus providing, to our knowledge, the first biochemical evidence to support permanence of the treatment's effects.

Study Type

Interventional

Enrollment

60

Phase

  • Phase 2
  • Phase 1

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Locations

  • United States
    • Michigan
      • Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States, 48109
        • University of Michigan Department of Dermatology

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Ages Eligible for Study

16 years and older (Adult, Older Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Genders Eligible for Study

All

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  1. Age 18 years or older of either gender.
  2. At least moderately dense axillary (armpit) hair that is dark (not blonde or white) in color.
  3. Subjects must understand and sign the informed consent documents prior to participation.
  4. Subjects must be in generally good health.
  5. Subjects must be willing and able to comply with the requirements of the protocol
  6. You must live within a reasonable driving distance of Ann Arbor, Michigan, and/or be able to attend all of the scheduled appointments during the study.

Exclusion Criteria:

  1. Oral retinoid use within one year of study entry.
  2. History of prior laser therapy or electrolysis of the axillae.
  3. Subjects who do not desire permanent reduction in axillary hair.
  4. Non-compliant subjects.
  5. Pregnant or nursing subjects.
  6. Subjects with a significant medical history or concurrent illness/condition that the investigator(s) feel is not safe for study participation.
  7. Active infection of the site to be treated or a history of herpes simplex or zoster infection at the site to be treated.
  8. History of keloid scar formation.
  9. Known history of allergy or sensitivity to lidocaine.
  10. History of waxing, plucking, or bleaching of the hair for 6 weeks prior to the treatment.

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Treatment
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Single Group Assignment
  • Masking: None (Open Label)

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
measurement of the effects of laser hair removal on the immunohistochemical staining properties of human hair follicles, including the putative stem cells of the bulge region.

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Hair Removal

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

University of Michigan

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start

January 1, 2005

Study Completion (Actual)

June 1, 2006

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

January 17, 2006

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

January 17, 2006

First Posted (Estimate)

January 19, 2006

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Estimate)

April 30, 2015

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

April 29, 2015

Last Verified

April 1, 2015

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Other Study ID Numbers

  • Derm 543

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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