Recent advances in laser treatment of port-wine stains

The pulsed dye laser is the treatment of choice for port-wine stains, with proven efficacy and low incidence of side-effects. However, in the majority of cases complete clearance cannot be achieved, and a significant proportion of lesions is resistant to laser treatment. In recent years, increased understanding of the interaction between lasers and port-wine stains has led to modification of the original pulsed dye laser design, producing treatment responses even in those lesions resistant to first-generation pulsed dye lasers. Other lasers and noncoherent light sources also appear to have a potential role in treatment. In this review we discuss these recent developments.