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TREATMENT OF BENIGN PIGMENTED EPIDERMAL LESIONS BY Q‐SWITCHED RUBY LASER
Author(s) -
TAYLOR CHARLES R.,
ANDERSON R. ROX
Publication year - 1993
Publication title -
international journal of dermatology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.677
H-Index - 93
eISSN - 1365-4632
pISSN - 0011-9059
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-4362.1993.tb01417.x
Subject(s) - medicine , hyperpigmentation , dermatology , ruby laser , nevus , nevus of ota , histology , café au lait spot , pathology , laser , melanoma , neurofibromatosis , physics , cancer research , optics
Background . Disorders of cutaneous pigmentation are a common problem, which can cause substantial cosmetic morbidity. Traditional treatments are often ineffective and sometimes associated with further hyperpigmentation, hypo‐pigmentation, or scarring. Because the Q‐switched ruby laser has proven useful for the treatment of tattoos and, in a small number of cases, benign disorders of the epidermal melanin, we decided to apply this modality systematically to additional benign pigmented lesions. Methods . Thirty‐four benign pigmented epidermal lesions including lentigines, café‐au‐lait macules, and nevi spili in nine white patients were exposed to single pulses of a Q‐switched ruby laser (694 nm, 40 ns pulse duration) at 4.5 and/or 7.5 J/cm 2 . Results . After one treatment, substantial clearing occurred at each fluence in all lentigines and café‐au‐lait macules. Initial improvement was achieved in a small nevus spilus after two treatments at 4.5 J/cm 2 , and a larger nevus spilus after one treatment at 7.5 J/cm 2 with complete removal of the junctional or compound nevi portion but no improvement in the cafe‐au‐lait portion. Complete return of the background pigment was observed by 1 year. There was no scarring. Immediately after treatment, histology revealed vacuolizaton of keratinocytes and melanocytes, and occasional subepidermal blisters. Conclusions . These findings show that while the Q‐switched ruby laser may not be entirely useful for treating nevi spili, it does provide an effective treatment for lentigines and café‐au‐lait macules.