Laser treatment of facial vascular lesions

For years, the traditional 577 to 585-nm pulsed dye laser has provided safe and effective treatment for many facial vascular lesions. Currently, interest is focused on how selective epidermal cooling, longer wavelengths, and varied pulse durations may expand the pulsed dye laser's therapeutic range to include treatment-resistant port wine stains, nonablative wrinkle reduction, scar revision, and nonsurgical flap delay. Despite these manipulations, the generation of objectionable purpura remains a concern to patients with limited lesions. To this effect, a long pulsed 532-nm laser has recently become available. This laser is effective for the treatment of facial telangiectasias and does not cause any purpura. It has had minimal complications in two series.