Laser treatment of skin lesions in children

Laser treatment of skin lesions in children
October 9, 2007
Manjeet Mehmia and Sean W. Lanigan
ScienceDirect

Abstract

Lasers may be used to treat a variety of dermatological disorders in children. This review article outlines the issues surrounding parental counselling and the use of lasers in paediatric patients. It summarises which lasers are currently being used to treat common paediatric skin diseases. Port wine stains and haemangiomas are common vascular lesions that are usually treated with the pulsed dye laser (PDL). Ruby and Q-switched long-pulsed neodymium-doped yttriumÒaluminiumÒgarnet (Nd:YAG) lasers may be used to treat pigmented lesions such as melanocytic naevi and naevus of Ota. Erbium-YAG and carbon dioxide lasers are employed to treat verrucous epidermal naevi. Long-pulsed ruby, alexandrite, diode, Nd:YAG lasers and intense pulsed light (IPL) are all currently used for hair removal.

Keywords: alexandrite laser; diode laser; haemangiomas; hair removal; Nd:YAG laser; pigmented lesions; port wine stains; pulsed dye laser; ruby laser

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