Port wine stains on the lower limb: response to pulsed dye laser therapy

The pulsed tunable dye laser is the established treatment for facial port wine stains (PWSs), particularly in children. There have been very few studies specifically addressing the efficacy of this laser in the treatment of lower limb PWSs. Twenty-seven patients with lower limb PWSs have been treated with the Candela pulsed tunable dye laser. Seventeen patients have been discharged; one patient had greater than 95% clearance of the naevus and three others had a good response to treatment. Ten patients who are continuing treatment have had an average of 9.4 treatments. Only one patient has achieved a good result, and none an excellent result. These results are disappointing compared with published figures for outcome following pulsed tunable dye laser treatment to facial PWSs, and confirm the clinical impression that PWSs on the lower limb do not respond well to pulsed dye laser therapy.