Management of vascular lesions using advanced laser technology
Abstract
One of the most widely used cutaneous applications of Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation (laser) concerns the treatment of vascular lesions. During the past two decades, very significant advances in the application of laser technology in dermatology have occurred, with selective photothermolysis being the most important. This review focuses on the application of modern laser devices (Pulsed Dye Laser, or PDL; potassium titanyl phosphate laser, or KTP; diode laser; and neodymium-doped yttrium-aluminium-garnet laser, or Nd:YAG), as well as the combination of laser and photodynamic therapy (PDT) for the treatment of vascular lesions. In particular, both congenital (haemangiomas and port-wine stains) and acquired vascular lesions (facial and leg telangiectasias, rosacea, Poikiloderma of Civatte, spider angioma, pyogenic granuloma, and venous lakes) are discussed. The review of many recent research studies demonstrates that modern applications of lasers in dermatology constitute the finest method for the treatment of vascular lesions, combining the advantages of invasive therapy with the security offered by non-invasive therapy, while in certain cases they are the single and only choice for the treatment of these lesions.
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