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Case Reports
. 2020 Dec;52(10):923-927.
doi: 10.1002/lsm.23261. Epub 2020 May 14.

Successful Treatment of Pigmentary Disorders in Asians With a Novel 730-nm Picosecond Laser

Sang Ju Lee  1 , Hye Sung Han  2 , Jun Ki Hong  2 , Kui Young Park  2 , Seong Jun Seo  2
Affiliations
Case Reports

Successful Treatment of Pigmentary Disorders in Asians With a Novel 730-nm Picosecond Laser

Sang Ju Lee et al. Lasers Surg Med. 2020 Dec.

Abstract

Background and objective: Until recently, quality-switched nanosecond lasers have been the workhorse lasers in treating pigmented lesions. However, the recently commercialized picosecond lasers have provided physicians with a novel method to manage pigmented lesions. Most recently, the first picosecond laser with a 730-nm wavelength was developed to specifically target melanin and melanocytes.

Study design/materials and methods: We report on two Asian patients with freckles, lentigines, and melasma who were successfully treated with a novel 730-nm Ti:Sapphire picosecond laser (Picoway®; Syneron Candela, Corp). The clinical outcome was measured by the global percent of clearance, which was evaluated by blinded observers by comparing the post-treatment photographs with the baseline photographs.

Results: In both patients, a significant pigmentary reduction was achieved with only one treatment session. In both patients, the treatments were well tolerated with minimal discomfort even without topical anesthesia. No post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation or repigmentation was observed until the 6-week follow-up. The pigmentary conditions treated included freckles, lentigines, and melasma. Both subjects showed clinical improvement, with the best results observed for the treatment of freckles such that 95% of the lesions achieved excellent response (75-94% lightening).

Conclusion: The results of this case report indicate that a novel 730-nm Ti:Sapphire picosecond laser may be effective and safe in treating pigmentary disorders in darker-skinned patients. Therefore, further well-designed, prospective clinical trials are warranted to establish the potential of 730-nm picosecond lasers and determine the optimal treatment parameters in comparison to existing laser and light modalities. Lasers Surg. Med. © 2020 Wiley Periodicals LLC.

Keywords: Asian; darker skin types; freckles; lentigines; melasma; picosecond laser.

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References

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