Pulsed dye laser treatment of benign cutaneous pigmented lesions

Abstract

Superficial benign cutaneous pigmented lesions that commonly present to the dermatologists and plastic surgeons have been treated by many conventional modalities such as dermabrasion, depigmenting creams as well as several types of lasers. Many of these treatment modalities lack specificity of injury, which has meant that normally pigmented and even non-pigment containing structures such as collagen as well as the hyperpigmented lesion itself have all been indiscriminately destroyed. This has resulted variously in hypopigmentation, hyperpigmentation, in addition to scar formation in some cases. A coaxial 504 nm laser with a pulse duration of 300 nsec was used to treat fifty two patients with superficial benign cutaneous pigmented lesions. Although the number of treatments required to clear the lesion varied according to the type of lesions being treated, on average, between 2 and 4 treatments were required to completely eradicate the superficial benign cutaneous pigmented lesions using 504 nm pulsed dye laser. The skin at the site successfully cleared of the pigmented lesion remained normal in skin color, texture, markings, and mobility.