LASER STUDY CONFIRMS THAT EARLY TREATMENT OF FACIAL BIRTHMARKS PROVIDES OPTIMAL RESULTS

LASER STUDY CONFIRMS THAT EARLY TREATMENT OF FACIAL BIRTHMARKS PROVIDES OPTIMAL RESULTS
Wausau, Wisconsin Ò April 14, 2007. Newborns who receive early and frequent laser treatment of port-wine stain birthmarks achieve a better success rate of clearance than those who delay treatment, according to new research presented today at the 27th Annual Conference of the American Society for Laser Medicine and Surgery (ASLMS) in Grapevine, TX. This new advice about early intervention stems from a retrospective review of infants aged six months and younger who received a series of high-energy pulsed dye laser treatments from 2002-2005.
The study performed by Anne Chapas, MD, Assistant Clinical Professor of Dermatology at New York University, New York, NY, and her colleague examined the patient charts of 49 infants with facial port-wine stains treated at the Laser and Skin Surgery Center of New York.
ÏWe know that the pulsed dye laser is a highly effective therapy for lightening birthmarks, but there has always been a debate regarding the best time to initiate treatment and how much laser energy could safely be used on infant patients,Ó said Dr. Chapas. ÏOur findings show that when babies are only a few months old, their birthmarks are typically smaller in diameter and thinner Ò which actually allows enhanced penetration of the laser energy. As the child grows, the birthmark will grow in proportion to the child, with lesions becoming thicker and harder to treat over time.Ó
Facial port-wine stain birthmarks are quite common, affecting 0.3 percent to 0.5 percent of newborns. If left untreated, approximately 60 percent of patients develop thickening of their birthmarks in their 20s or 30s Ò often marked by small blood vessel growths known as blebs. These blebs can bleed easily and interfere with a personÌs daily life.
The pulsed dye laser works by selectively heating the abnormal blood vessels within the port-wine stain while leaving the surrounding, normal skin intact.
Each of the study patients received an average of 10.4 laser treatments with higher fluences over the course of one year. Each treatment lasted less than one minute. To evaluate the success of the clearing, pre-treatment photos were compared to photos one year after the first treatment.
Dr. Chapas reported that patients achieved an average clearance of 88.6 percent, with a range of 65 percent to 99.7 percent. Specifically, patients with lesions covering less than 20 percent of the face and limited to the upper third of the face (roughly from the forehead to the eye) achieved higher clearances than those with larger lesions involving the lower two-thirds of the face (from the mid-cheek to the jaw line). All patients tolerated the higher energy treatments without scarring or atrophy. Temporary bruising in the treated area was observed, and this typically resolved on its own within one week.
ÏWe hope that the results of this study will encourage parents to treat these birthmarks as early as possible and not wait until their child gets older and becomes more self-conscious about their appearance,Ó said Dr. Chapas. ÏNumerous studies show that port-wine stains and other facial birthmarks can cause considerable physical and psychological pain later in life, including shyness and depression that often begins in school and continues during adulthood. The parents of the infants we treated are ecstatic by the results of this laser therapy and appreciate the benefits of this early intervention.Ó
The American Society for Laser Medicine and Surgery (ASLMS) is the worldÌs preeminent resource for laser research, safety, education, and clinical knowledge. Founded in 1980, ASLMS promotes excellence in patient care by advancing clinical application of lasers and related technologies. For more information and physician referrals, please log on to the SocietyÌs website: www.aslms.org.