title: Laser treatment of pigmented lesions in children.
abstract: A variety of lasers can be used to effectively treat cutaneous pigmentation in children. Furthermore, using the principle of selective photothermolysis, several pigment-specific lasers can be used to achieve significant clinical improvement if not complete removal of pigmented lesions with greatly reduced risks of scarring, textural or pigmentary changes. A summary of laser treatments for pigmented lesions that commonly present in children including café-au-lait macules, nevus of Ota and other dermal melanocytosis, congenital melanocytic nevus, nevus spilus, lentigines, epidermal nevus, Becker's nevus, and tattoos is presented. Overall, laser treatment is a very safe, effective treatment option that could offer distinct advantages compared with other conventional modalities.
authors.affiliation: Massachusetts General Hospital Dermatology Laser Center, Boston, USA.
authors.forename: B G
authors.initials: BG
authors.lastname: Carpo
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Grevelink
authors.forename: S V
authors.initials: SV
authors.lastname: Grevelink
mesh_terms: D019080:Cafe-au-Lait Spots / Q000532:radiotherapy; D002648:Child; D002921:Cicatrix / Q000532:radiotherapy; D006801:Humans; D053685:Laser Therapy; D007834:Lasers / Q000009:adverse effects; D007911:Lentigo / Q000532:radiotherapy; D009506:Nevus / Q000532:radiotherapy; D010859:Pigmentation Disorders / Q000209:etiology / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000532:radiotherapy; D013653:Tattooing