ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Facial hirsutism has a negative effect on the quality of life (QOL) of female patients. AIM: To assess the efficacy of laser epilation on the quality of life in hirsute women. METHODS: Over a 6-month period, we recruited 38 patients with severe pathological facial hirsutism. Each patient completed a pretreatment questionnaire consisting of a modified Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI), a visual analogue scoring system, and an 'out-of-10' scoring system. The patients were also scored independently by a doctor and a nurse. Each patient received a laser-epilation treatment programme and was reassessed in an identical fashion. RESULTS: Following laser epilation, the mean patient DLQI score fell by 5 points. All three scoring groups scored lower across all scoring methods following laser treatment. There was also correlation in scoring between disciplines. CONCLUSION: DLQI provides a valid scoring system to assess the efficacy of laser epilation. The interdisciplinary scores in this study indicate that an objective grading system for facial hirsutism could be developed in the future.
Subject(s)
Facial Dermatoses/surgery , Hair Removal/methods , Hirsutism/surgery , Laser Therapy/methods , Quality of Life , Adult , Facial Dermatoses/rehabilitation , Female , Health Status Indicators , Hirsutism/rehabilitation , Humans , Treatment OutcomeABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Facial hirsutism is one of the characteristic features of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), and this can lead to high levels of depression and anxiety. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the impact of laser treatment on the severity of facial hirsutism and on psychological morbidity in women with PCOS. METHODS: A randomized controlled trial of five high-fluence treatments (intervention) vs. five low-fluence treatments (control) was performed over 6 months in a National Health Service teaching hospital. Subjects were 88 women with facial hirsutism due to PCOS recruited from hospital outpatient clinics and a patient support group in 2001-2002. The main outcomes were self-reported severity of facial hair (measured on a scale of 1-10), depression, anxiety (measured on the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale) and quality of life (measured on the WHOQOL-BREF). RESULTS: Self-reported severity of facial hair in the intervention group (n = 51) fell from 7.3 to 3.6 over the 6-month study period; for the control group (n = 37) the corresponding scores were 7.1 and 6.1. The change was significantly greater in the intervention group [ancova F((1,83)) = 24.5, P < 0.05]. Self-reported time spent on hair removal declined from 112 to 21 min per week in the intervention group and from 92 to 56 min in the control group [F((1,80)) = 10.2, P
