脱毛

Hair Removal

はじめに

　現在，脱毛は最も多く行われる美容医療である 1）2）。近年，機器の発達とともにクリニック間での差別化が難しくなり，価格競争の激化と過度な効率化の追求から，浅い知識で大量生産的な施術が行われるようになり，それによって生じるトラブルが大きな問題となっている。脱毛治療を行うにあたり，レーザーなどの機器や脱毛の機序に関する基本的知識を有すること，およびその特性を理解することは必須である。本稿ではそれらについて述べる。

　Hair removal with lasers and light-based devices has been the most popular nonsurgical aesthetic procedure worldwide. Nowadays lasers rather than light-based devices are considered the most efficient tools for hair reduction. Understanding the mechanisms and risks of laser hair-removal systems can provide an initial framework for predicting treatment outcomes and can assist clinicians in the selection of the appropriate attributes for each treated area and the optimal devices. Nd:YAG, Diode, and Alexandrite laser systems have been shown to be valuable for hair reduction with varying effectiveness and risks which depend on the patientsʼ skin type, hair color, hair thickness and density, degree of tan, hormonal dysfunction, etc. Each laser systemʼs wavelength, fluence, spot size, and pulse duration are also related to the risks and outcomes of the systemsʼ applications. As contemporary lasers are equipped with new functions, quicker and more painless treatments are becoming feasible. Clinicians should be familiar with the risks of hair removal treatment, which include burns, paradoxical hypertrichosis, and ocular injuries.