Atopic Dermatitis: a Short Summary
Lasers to treat pigmentation: All operate according to the Q-switched mode (pulse of very short duration):
- alexandrite laser
- ruby laser
- NdYAG laser
Before using lasers, other treatments are to be tried:
- topical (creams, depigmentation cream). To learn more about a safe and effective depigmenting cream, click here.
- surface ablation (chemical peels)
- lasers
Does it work?
- lentigines: Laser pigment work better than IPL (intense pulsed light or flash lamp)
- freckles (ephelides): respond to pigmented laser and IPL (3 sessions), Chemical Peels do not work
- PIH (post inflammatory hyperpigmentation): Neither IPL nor laser pigment work
- Nevus of Hori: IPL does not work but the pigment laser may have interesting results
- SK (seborrheic keratoses): responds to laser but other cheaper and effective methods are available
- Melasma (Chloasma, Pregnancy Mask): Works partially with IPL but does not respond at all to pigment laser
- Nevus of Ota: responds to pigment laser but not IPL.
The risks of laser treatment:
- especially for darker skin types (IV-VI)
- Hypopigmentation Post-inflammaoire
- Post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation-
It is especially important to know that we treat. The presenter showed the example of a lichen planus pigmentosus not responding to treatment due to misdiagnosis (of chloasma (melasma) (pregnancy mask))
Contributors:
Dr Christophe HSU – dermatologist. Geneva, Switzerland
Source of information: 2012 (02) – 20th Regional Conference of Dermatology (RCD) – Manila, Philippines
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