title: Clinical effects of non-ablative and ablative fractional lasers on various hair disorders: a case series of 17 patients.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Both ablative and non-ablative fractional lasers have been applied to various uncommon hair disorders. The purpose of this study was to demonstrate the clinical effects of fractional laser therapy on the course of primary follicular and perifollicular pathologies and subsequent hair regrowth.
  
  
  METHODS
  A retrospective review of 17 patients with uncommon hair disorders - including ophiasis, autosomal recessive woolly hair/hypotrichosis, various secondary cicatricial alopecias, pubic hypotrichosis, frontal fibrosing alopecia, and perifolliculitis abscedens et suffodiens - was conducted. All patients had been treated with non-ablative and/or ablative fractional laser therapies.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean clinical improvement score in these 17 patients was 2.2, while the mean patient satisfaction score was 2.5. Of the 17 subjects, 12 (70.6%) demonstrated a clinical response to non-ablative and/or ablative fractional laser treatments, including individuals with ophiasis, autosomal recessive woolly hair/hypotrichosis, secondary cicatricial alopecia (scleroderma and pressure-induced alopecia), frontal fibrosing alopecia, and perifolliculitis abscedens et suffodiens. Conversely, patients with long-standing ophiasis, surgical scar-induced secondary cicatricial alopecia, and pubic hypotrichosis did not respond to fractional laser therapy.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our findings demonstrate that the use of non-ablative and/or ablative fractional lasers promoted hair growth in certain cases of uncommon hair disorders without any remarkable side effects.
authors: Department of Dermatology and Cutaneous Biology Research Institute, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors: Suhyun
authors: S
authors: Cho
authors: Min Ju
authors: MJ
authors: Choi
authors: Zhenlong
authors: Z
authors: Zheng
authors: Boncheol
authors: B
authors: Goo
authors: Do-Young
authors: DY
authors: Kim
authors: Sung Bin
authors: SB
authors: Cho
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003357:Cosmetic Techniques / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000295:instrumentation; D005260:Female; D006201:Hair Diseases / Q000145:classification / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D006801:Humans; D054020:Lasers, Gas / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D053844:Lasers, Solid-State / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D028022:Low-Level Light Therapy / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D055815:Young Adult