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Lasers in Dermatology

»What does the term “laser” stand for?
»What does “stimulated emission of radiation” mean?
»How is the light amplified in the laser system?
»What types of medium are used in laser systems?
»What are the special features of laser light?
»Why is monochromatic light useful?
»What is selective photothermolysis?
»What is an ablative laser?
»What is a nonablative laser?
»What is Q-switching?
»What is a fractional laser?
»How are the types of dermatologic lasers classified?
»What lasers have historic interest but are seldom used?
»What are the basic features of the carbon dioxide (CO2) laser?
»What are some uses for the standard carbon dioxide laser?
»How is the CO2 laser used for resurfacing?
»What precautions must be used with the CO2 laser?
»What are the basic features of the erbium:YAG laser?
»What are pulsed dye lasers?
»What is the flashlamp pulsed dye vascular lesion laser used to treat?
»What is nonablative resurfacing and how does a pulsed dye laser accomplish this?
»What are the disadvantages of the pulsed dye laser?
»What is an Nd:YAG laser?
»How are the long-pulsed Nd:YAG (1064-nm) lasers used?
»How are the long-pulsed KTP lasers used?
»How are the Q-switched Nd:YAG lasers used?
»What is the alexandrite laser?
»How are the alexandrite lasers used?
»What is the ruby laser?
»How are the ruby lasers used?
»What is a diode laser?
»How are the diode lasers used?
»What are nonablative fractional lasers, and for what are they used?
»What are ablative fractional lasers, and how are they used?
»What is an intense pulse light machine?
»What are IPL machines used to treat?
»Are there any risks for IPL use?
»What is radiofrequency resurfacing?
»Are there any risks with radiofrequency treatments?
»What new technologies will soon be available?

 
 
 

What is the flashlamp pulsed dye vascular lesion laser used to treat?

The pulsed dye lasers may be the most effective lasers in treating the thin, lightly colored port wine stains, especially those in children. These lesions have been treated without scarring in children as young as 1 week of age. Increasing the wavelength to 595 nm theoretically allows the treatment of many port wine stains that were resistant to treatment with the shorter wavelengths. Pulsed dye laser treatment is effective for facial telangiectasias, cherry angiomas, childhood hemangiomas, poikiloderma of Civatte (a mottled vascular condition on the necks of adults), warts, scars, and possibly stretch marks. Leg veins less than 1 mm in diameter are also effectively treated with pulsed dye lasers using 595- to 600-nm light and a pulse duration of up to 20 msec. One of the newer pulsed dye lasers even has a handpiece to treat pigmented lesions. This is a compression handpiece designed to physically compress out the blood, thereby removing one of the competing chromophores of this wavelength. This leaves the laser energy able to treat the remaining melanin targets.

Fitzpatrick RE, Lowe NJ, Goldman MP, et al: Flashlamp-pumped pulsed dye laser treatment of port-wine stains, J Dermatol Surg Oncol 20:743–748, 1994.

Hsia J, Lowery JA, Zelickson B: Treatment of leg telangiectasia using a long-pulse dye laser at 595 nm, Lasers Surg Med 20:1–5, 1997.