Cutaneous laser therapy

The carbon dioxide laser is useful for vaporizing lesions and applying incisions, the argon laser coagulates superficial vascular lesions and the neodymium-YAG laser is used for large vascular and more deeply situated lesions. Many patients with port-wine stains have been treated with excellent to poor results, major problems consisting of incomplete color removal and hypertrophic scarring (occurring in 4% to 23% of cases). While results are imperfect, patients are satisfied with the improvement in 86% of cases. Lasers have been used with good results for treating patients with strawberry angioma of infancy, pyogenic granuloma, telangiectasia of the face, decorative tattoos, genital condylomata and warts. The results of laser treatment of essential telangiectasia of the lower extremities have generally been poor. The CO(2) laser has been effective in excising small lesions and elevating skin flaps.