Lasers in dermatology

Although CO2, Nd:YAG, and argon wavelength lasers and a variety of other treatments have been used in an attempt to treat cutaneous vascular lesions, until the introduction of the yellow light lasers, a reliable treatment with few adverse effects was not available. The three models of yellow light lasers currently available offer various pulsing modes that permit treatment of superficial vascular lesions occurring on most external body surfaces. This wavelength also allows varying degrees of clearing of vascular lesions in children, adolescents, and adults. Areas not experiencing optimal clearing may be retreated, with the incidence of hypertrophic scarring, a common result of conventional therapy, markedly decreased.