A Cochrane review [Abstract] 1 included 11 trials involving a total of 444 people. There appeared to be a short-term effect of approximately 50% hair reduction with alexandrite and diode lasers up to six months after treatment, whereas little evidence was obtained for an effect of intense pulsed light, neodymium:YAG or ruby lasers. Long-term hair removal was not documented with any treatment. Pain, skin redness, swelling, burned hairs and pigmentary changes were infrequently reported adverse effects.
Comment: The quality of evidence is downgraded by inconsistency (heterogeneity in interventions and outcomes), by indirectness (differences in studied patients), and by imprecise results (limited study size for each comparison).
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