A two-year review of pain control during laser therapy using the flashlamp pulsed dye laser

Laser therapy is now accepted as the treatment of choice for port wine stains. Patient reaction to laser light exposure and methods used to control pain during 1357 treatment sessions for 350 medium to large port wine stains using the SPTL-1 laser (Candela Laser Corporation) are reported. In the majority of cases (86%) it was necessary to use either general anaesthesia or some other form of local pain control.