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Continuous Wave Potassium Titanyl Phosphate Laser Treatment is Safe and Effective for Xanthelasma Palpebrarum
Ellen Greijmans1, Hedwig Luiting-Welkenhuyzen, Harriet Luijks
1*All the authors are affiliated with the Department of Dermatology, Máxima Medical Center, Veldhoven, the Netherlands.
Background:
Although not an accepted standard treatment, the 532-nm continuous wave potassium titanyl phosphate (CW-KTP) laser might be a powerful device to treat xanthelasma palpebrarum (XP).
Objective:
To determine the safety and efficacy of CW-KTP laser treatment for XP.
Materials And Methods:
Between January 2013 and January 2015, 30 consecutive patients with XP were treated with a 532-nm CW-KTP laser (spot size: 0.9 mm, power: 5.0 W, fluence: 36-38 J/cm, pulse width: 46 milliseconds, frequency: 2.0 Hz, passes per session: 3). In a retrospective study design, safety and efficacy data were collected and analyzed.
Results:
Overall, 29/30 (97%) of patients had an excellent cosmetical result. Downtime was 1 week with crusted lesions. Although slight hypopigmentation was common, only 1/30 (3%) patients had hypopigmentation that was more than expected. Recurrences (13/30; 43%) were frequent, so that yearly maintenance therapy was warranted. No major side effects were noticed.
Conclusion:
Continuous wave KTP laser therapy is safe and highly effective for XP, although regular follow-up treatments are often necessary to maintain the achieved cosmetic results.
