title: A review of hand-held, home-use cosmetic laser and light devices.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  As the market for home-use light-based and laser-based devices grows, consumers will increasingly seek advice from dermatologists regarding their safety and efficacy profiles.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To review the literature on home-use hand-held devices for various dermatologic conditions. To educate dermatologists about commercially available products their patients may be using.
  
  
  METHODS
  A comprehensive literature search was conducted to determine the safety and efficacy of home-use laser and light devices for the treatment of the following: hair removal, acne, photoaging, scars, psoriasis, and hair regrowth. In addition, a thorough search of the Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) radiation-emitting electronic products' database was performed; by searching specific product codes, all hand-held devices that are FDA-approved for marketing in the United States were identified.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the various home-use devices reviewed, intense pulsed light (IPL) for hair removal and light-emitting diode (LED) for treatment of acne have the most published data. Although the literature shows modest results for home-use IPL and LED, small sample sizes and short follow-up periods limit interpretation.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There is a paucity of randomized, double-blind controlled trials to support the use of home-use laser and light devices; smaller, uncontrolled industry-sponsored single-center studies suggest that some of these devices may have modest results.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Boston University Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts.
authors.forename: Meghan T
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Hession
authors.forename: Alina
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Markova
authors.forename: Emmy M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Graber
mesh_terms: D003357:Cosmetic Techniques / Q000295:instrumentation*; D018795:Device Approval; D006801:Humans; D053685:Laser Therapy / Q000295:instrumentation*; D007834:Lasers; D010789:Phototherapy / Q000295:instrumentation*; D014481:United States