title: The Effect of Waxing Versus Shaving on the Efficacy of Laser Hair Removal.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Excessive hair is undesirable and represents both a social and emotional burden, especially among females. Laser hair removal (LHR) has gained popularity in the past 2 decades. It is a common practice to instruct patients not to pluck or wax their hair before undergoing LHR; only shaving is allowed to improve the efficacy of the LHR.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To compare the percentage of hair reduction in preshaved versus prewax epilated axillae after LHR in healthy adult Saudi females.
  
  
  METHODS
  This study is a quantitative experimental pilot clinical trial. Twenty female volunteers were enrolled into this study; all underwent 3 laser sessions using a long-pulsed alexandrite laser. Their left axilla was prewaxed and right axilla was preshaved immediately before laser treatment. Hair was counted manually before and 6 months after the third laser session.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The right and left axillae both showed significant hair reduction, between the first session and the hair count 6 months after the third laser session. However, there was no statistically significant difference between these 2 means (p = .44).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There is no statistical difference in hair reduction after LHR whether the area is preshaved or prewax epilated.
authors.affiliation: *Department of Dermatology, College of Medicine, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; †College of Medicine, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Mohammed
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Al-Haddab
authors.forename: Nour
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Al-Khawajah
authors.forename: Amal
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Al-Alaʼa
authors.forename: Hadeel
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Al-Majed
authors.forename: Yafa
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Al-Shamlan
authors.forename: Maymonah
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Al-Abdely
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001365:Axilla; D005260:Female; D006204:Hair Removal / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D053844:Lasers, Solid-State / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D010865:Pilot Projects; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014885:Waxes / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D014885:Waxes