title: Copper vapour laser treatment of café-au-lait macules.
abstract: Café-au-lait macules are skin lesions known to resist all kinds of treatment. Green light at a wavelength of 511 nm from a copper vapour laser through a built-in computerized scanner (SCANALL) was employed to treat café-au-lait-macules in 16 patients. The laser was used in continuous mode with a mean energy density of 8.9 J/cm2 (range 7-22 J/cm2). The mean number of treatment sessions was two. The response was good to excellent in 15 cases and poor in one. Transient hyperpigmentation at the periphery and temporary non-homogeneous hypopigmentation at the centre of the treated area was observed in some cases. These eventually returned to normal after a few months, without any textural change. Pre- and postoperative histological finding are also presented. There was no recurrence at a mean follow-up time of 22 months. Copper vapour laser is an effective modality for the treatment of café-au-lait macules.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology, Ramathibodi Hospital, Mahidol University School of Medicine, Bangkok, Thailand.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Somyos
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Boonchu
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Somsak
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Panadda
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Leopairut
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D019080:Cafe-au-Lait Spots / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D002648:Child; D003300:Copper; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D053685:Laser Therapy; D012867:Skin / Q000473:pathology / Q000528:radiation effects*
chemical_list: D003300:Copper