Flashlamp-pumped pulsed dye laser treatment of port-wine stains.

BACKGROUND: Port-wine stains, or capillary malformations, occur in 0.3-0.5% of newborns and have been shown to be very responsive to treatment with a pulsed dye laser (585 nm, 450 microseconds). Lesional characteristics that may help predict the ease of response to therapy have not been delineated. There exists a great range of variation in response to treatment. OBJECTIVE: A retrospective study of 133 patients with 140 port-wine stain malformations being treated with the flashlamp-pumped pulsed dye laser was undertaken. Lesion characteristics such as color and location, patient age, and skin type were evaluated as to their correlation with clinical response. Adverse sequelae were evaluated as well. METHODS: Charts of treated patients were reviewed and results tabulated. The five treating physicians were each responsible for reviewing and evaluating their own patients. Patients were treated at 8-12-week intervals using slightly overlapping pulses with fluences from 5.5 to 7.5 J/cm.2 RESULTS: Factors favoring a positive clinical response were pink lesion color, lesion location of the head and neck, patient age less than 10 years, and patient skin types I-III. Factors having a more negative impact on clinical result include purple lesion color, lesion location on the distal extremities, patient age > 50 years, and skin types IV and V. CONCLUSION: Examination of various patient and lesional characteristics shows trends that may be useful in a predictive manner regarding ease of treatment with the flashlamp-pumped pulsed dye laser.

Flash lamp-pumped dye laser treatment of telangiectasia.

BACKGROUND: Although many treatment modalities are effective in the treatment of essential telangiectasia, most have a risk of scarring and or incomplete obliteration of the dilated vessels. The Candela flash lamp-pumped dye laser has been regarded as highly selective for blood vessel ablation with virtually no risk of scarring. OBJECTIVE: To present a study of 182 patients who underwent this treatment. RESULTS: Good to excellent response was seen in 97.5% of these patients. No scars were seen in any of the patients studied. Patients described the degree of discomfort as mild to moderate and found the post-treatment purpura an acceptable phase of healing, if advised preoperatively. CONCLUSION: We found the laser to be safe and effective in the treatment of facial telangiectasia.

Flash lamp pumped dye laser for rosacea-associated telangiectasia and erythema.

The persistence of facial telangiectasis and erythema in patients with rosacea frequently presents a major cosmetic problem. It may also contribute to relapses of papular and pustular lesions. This study of 27 patients treated for their telangiectasia and erythema with a flash lamp pumped dye laser tuned at 585 nm is described. The laser gave good or excellent reduction of telangiectasia and erythema and overall appearance in 24 of the patients with between one and three treatments. In addition, papule and pustule activity was decreased in 59.2% of the patients, with those with the most severe pre-treatment activity having the most significant improvement. It is suggested that this is a useful additional form of treatment that may improve the telangiectasia and erythematous component of rosacea.