Laser and Light-Based Therapies for Hirsutism Management in Women With Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome
Katrina Tan, Thisara Coster, Aya Mousa, Adrian Mar, Terhi Piltonen, Jacqueline A. Boyle, Helena Teede, Anju Joham, Daniela Romualdi, Chau Thien Tay- Dermatology
Importance
Hirsutism represents a significant concern for women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), with deleterious psychological effects warranting acknowledgment and a clear imperative to provide effective management. To our knowledge, this is the first review to exclusively examine the effectiveness of laser and light-based therapies in addressing hirsutism in women with PCOS.
Objective
To synthesize the existing literature regarding the effectiveness of laser and light hair reduction therapies, either as stand-alone treatments or in combination with systemic agents, in treating hirsutism for women with PCOS.
Evidence Review
A systematic literature review was performed using MEDLINE, Embase, EMCARE, and CINAHL according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses (
Findings
Six studies reporting data on 423 individual patients with PCOS who underwent laser or light-based hair reduction therapies were included: 4 randomized clinical trials and 2 cohort studies. Alexandrite laser demonstrated significant improvements in hirsutism severity and psychological outcomes, particularly at high-fluence application. Alexandrite laser was also found to be more effective than intense pulsed light (IPL). The combination of diode laser with either metformin or combined oral contraceptive pill was superior to the application of diode laser alone, just as the addition of metformin to IPL demonstrated superior results to IPL treatment alone. Overall, most interventions were well tolerated. The overall certainty of evidence across all outcomes and comparisons was limited in part due to the observational nature of some studies.
Conclusions and Relevance
This systematic review highlights the potential of laser and light hair reduction therapies, both as stand-alone treatments and in combination with other pharmacological agents in PCOS. However, this review was limited by low certainty of the evidence, few studies evaluating effectiveness and safety in those with skin of color, and heterogeneity in outcome assessment. Future studies are needed to provide more robust evidence among diverse individuals with PCOS and hirsutism.