Carbon dioxide laser treatment of cutaneous hemangiomas and tattoos

Many modalities have been advocated for the removal of cutaneous hemangiomas and tattoos, including dermabrasion, salabrasion, and surgical excision. These methods often result in incomplete removal, unsatisfactory wound healing, and excessive postoperative pain. In hopes of avoiding these problems and improving the results, the carbon dioxide laser has been used on 16 patients with 22 tattoos of the skin and 25 patients with cutaneous hemangiomas. This article describes the surgical techniques used for the carbon dioxide laser removal of these lesions and the postoperative care involved. The existing literature on the use of the carbon dioxide and argon laser for cutaneous lesions is reviewed.