[The 308 nm excimer laser in dermatology]

THE EFFICACY OF THE 308 NM EXCIMER LASER in the treatment of common psoriasis has been demonstrated. THE DOSES USED have progressively decreased, hence, limiting the adverse events that appear redhibitory with high doses. THE ADAPTATION OF THE DOSES not to the patients themselves but to each of the plaques treated should reduce the number of sessions and the cumulated close necessary to obtain clinical remission. THE 308 NM EXCIMER LASER is effective and tolerance is good in the treatment of vitiligo. It should be proposed for limited vitiligo and essentially of the "UV sensitive" areas, which have shown aesthetically correct percentage of repigmentation. THE PLACE AND INTEREST of its association with other treatments, notably with topical tacrolimus, remains to be defined. Although the results obtained in the treatment of vitiligo are promising, they have to be confirmed in larger cohorts and ensure the absence of median and long term side effects. This therefore limits its use in combined treatments in the context of controlled clinical traits. THE 30 NM EXCIMER LASER IS AN EFFECTIVE AND WELL TOLERATED TREATMENT in localised and non-nodular forms of mycosis fungoid (MF). Although the number of patients treated is limited, the clinical and histological cure observed demonstrates the interest of this new technique in the treatment of MF. These results must be confirmed in a greater number of patients. THE 308 NM EXCIMER LASER is an interesting therapeutic alternative in the treatment of plaques of alopecia areata, erosive oral lichen planus, post-surgical hypopigmentation, vergetures and localised forms of atopic dermatitis. Because of the sparcity of data and in the absence of long term follow-up, it must not be proposed in first intention.