Optimizing Parameters for Long-pulsed Nd:YAG Laser for Reducing Hair Shaft Diameter

Since the beginning of hair transplantation era, hair transplant technique has been greatly improved to achieve the best natural looking of hairline and hair density. Most Asians tend to have large size of hair shaft at the donor area, which often cause unnatural look of the hairline at the frontal area after hair transplantation due to the contrast between the transplanted hair and the original hair.

The idea of reducing the size of the hair shaft in the certain part of donor area before being transplanted to the frontal hairline becomes appealing. This transection is being practiced extensively in the field of cosmetic medicine by using long-pulsed Neodymium-Doped:Yttrium Aluminum Gamet (Nd:YAG), a laser treatment for permanent hair removal and vascular lesions.

Inclusion criteria

• Men and women, aged 25-60 years with AGA or healthy
• Completed informed consent form

Exclusion criteria

• Pregnancy or breastfeeding
• Acute infection on the scalp or any systemic infection
• Immunocompromised host
• Chronic wasting diseases
• Use of any medications which may affect hair loss such as anticoagulants, anti-hypertensive, hormones, anticonvulsants, retinoid, mood stabilizers and antidepressants
• Unstable medical problems which may affect hair loss such as thyroid diseases, autoimmune diseases, myocardial infarction, coronary bypass surgery, unstable angina, cardiac arrhythmias, congestive heart failure, cerebrovascular accident and psychiatric problems
• Hair thinning at the occipital area