Lorenzo Kunze, ME, CLS
   Director, Rocky Mountain Laser College
Dennis Kotelko, MD, CLS
   Medical Director, Rocky Mountain Laser Clinic
Thomas Castellano, MD, CLS
   LOHS-Au Director, TEAM Doctor

November 22, 2001

Abstract
Numerous topical products on the market report the ability to inhibit, retard and permanently stop hair growth. The researchers have found the efficacy of these products to be inadequate or nonexistent. A new product, LOHS-Au (pronounced “Lo’s Gold”), has shown promising results for inhibiting the growth of hair, particularly the fine type of hair known as vellus hair. Vellus hair, typically fine textured and lightly pigmented, lacks sufficient chromophoric properties to be permanently disabled by laser techniques. It is also too fine and abundant to be treated economically be electrolysis. When used subsequent to laser hair removal procedures, LOHS-Au may offer a valuable adjunct treatment for permanent hair reduction on all types of hair.

The results of this study reveal that LOHS-Au continues to retard growth of vellus hair for up to six months after application. These results indicate that the product may offer long-term retardation of growth in vellus hair as well as reducing the thickness and coloration of heavier terminal hair. The study was performed on a limited basis at the Rocky Mountain Laser Clinic (Denver, CO). The results were sufficiently favorable and positive to warrant the expanded study of this product in more clinics across the nation and for a longer time period. The cost per application of LOHS-Au indicate a strong cost/benefit ratio for patients. Continued study will indicate if the product can truly offer the additional benefit of “permanent” hair reduction.

• Hair removal creams, lotions and oils (depilatories) – These products use glycols, urea, sodium hydroxide, calcium hydroxide or similar chemicals to break down (hydrolyze) the cuticle proteins in the hair shaft. These chemicals are relatively harsh on skin, causing rashes or bumps among certain users. Furthermore, these products have not shown to inhibit or retard future hair growth. Because these products are essentially sold as a substitute for shaving and do not offer any long-term benefits, none of these were used for comparison purposes in this study.
• Depilatories combined with growth inhibitor ingredients – These are creams, lotions or oil-based depilatories that employ hydrolyzing depilatories as well as other ingredients to reduce hair growth. These products appear to have high water content and relatively low concentrations of active ingredients. As a result, initial tests have shown these products to lack efficacy in immediate hair removal (depilation) as well as long-term retardation of hair growth.
• Hair inhibitors – These products avoid the harsh chemical depilatories and contain various concentrations of hair growth inhibitors. Initial tests indicate that LOHS-Au has the highest concentration and most unique combination of hair inhibitors. As such, LOHS-Au has shown dramatic results after only one to three applications. Other products state that usage of their formulations should continue daily for periods of four to six weeks. This study shows the results of LOHS-Au over a period of six-months after a few initial applications.

Patients who received more than the initial application of LOHS-Au at the clinic were given the following instructions to follow for application of the product at home:

• Apply sparingly and massage into the skin for at least 30 seconds.
• Apply LOHS-Au before applying any make-up, foundation, creams, lotions or oils.
• Apply LOHS-Au only once per day for the recommended number of days.
• If any redness, rash or irritation develops, immediately cease usage of the product and call the clinic.

6 months post to LOHS-Au applicaton (1 - 3 treatments)
	Elect	Laser	Wax	Tweeze
Patients with noticeable HRed (Hair Reduction)	88%	76%	10%	61%

LOHS-Au worked equally well on women as on men and skin type had no bearing on the results that were observed. After six months time, some patients experienced a 100% hair reduction (HRed) with just one treatment, in which they still have not experienced any hair growth on the area treated. Other patients reported results that were quite dramatic. Electrolysis patients, even those with terminal hair growth, seemed to experience the greatest amount of efficacy. The researchers surmised there are three reasons for this: 1) The probe spreads the relatively hard cuticle cells lining the follicle, providing a clear path for the product to reach the papilla, 2) The entire hair shaft (complete with bulb) is removed during the procedure, and 3) a small amount of sodium hydroxide is produced in the treated area.

The group of patients treated by tweezing reported less efficacy than the groups treated by laser or electrology. However, the patients that were tweezed around the eyebrow and/or glabella area, areola and peri-oral areas received the most benefit. The researchers concluded this was because the thin skin in these areas allowed the product easy access to the papilla. The tweezing protocol required that the hair shafts remain intact and not be broken. Systematically keeping the skin taut and slowly lifting the hairs out of the follicle provided a more efficacious treatment than "snapping" the hairs out of the follicle. Waxing produced the least efficacy in the results. It was concluded that, by waxing the skin, the body (out of reflex) constricted, not allowing the LOHS-Au into the follicle. Also, waxing residue was difficult to extract (post waxing) without diluting the LOHS-Au product.

Since the product must remain on the skin for an extended period, tests for safety were of primary concern. Patients were asked to report on any perceived conditions at any time subsequent to treatment. No adverse reactions were reported by any of the 172 patients involved in this study. Several patients actually reported benefits of the treatment, such as a reduction in acne and dry skin.

The results of treatment by LOHS-Au Hair Growth Inhibitor were extremely positive. Several patients reported dramatic results, including treatment of persistent and deep terminal hair (not just vellus hair). Most impressive was the fact that the majority of these results were reported after only one application of the product.

The results of this study reveal that LOHS-Au may be the first product to effectively fill a much-needed market for eliminating or reducing growth of vellus hair. Permanent hair reduction procedures (electrolysis and laser) are not effective (or economically feasible) for treating this type of hair. Futhermore, positive results were reported in numerous cases involving persistent and deeper terminal hair.

Study of this product will continue to determine efficacy over longer terms than six months.