Linear scarring following treatment with a 595-nm pulsed dye laser

Pulsed dye laser (PDL) treatment is well established and has been reported to be safe and effective in the management of superficial hemangiomas, port-wine stains, and other vascular lesions. Although hyperpigmentation is quite common, other side effects such as hypopigmentation, ulceration, hemorrhaging, atrophic scarring, and hypertrophic scarring are rare. We report the case of a 42-year-old woman who developed atrophic scarring of the nasal alae following cosmetic PDL treatment. Patients receiving PDL treatment should be warned about the risk for the development of scarring.