title: Comparative treatment of multiple vellus hair cysts with the 2940 nm Er:YAG and 1540 nm Er:Glass laser.
abstract: Eruptive vellus hair cysts occur sporadically, hereditarily or in association with other diseases due to developmental anomalies of vellus hair follicles. Here, we report on a 41-year-old male with multiple vellus hair cysts of the forehead, who was successfully treated three times with a non-ablative, non-fractional 1540 nm Er:Glass laser on one side of his face, and with an ablative non-fractional 2940 nm Er:YAG laser on the other side, at intervals of 6-12 weeks. Over the whole treatment period of about 9 months, we could observe a marked reduction in the total number of cysts. The bigger and painful inflammatory cysts were reduced significantly. There was a slight tendency for better clinical outcome in the area in which the Er:YAG laser had been used. Clinical and histopathological findings, pathogenesis and treatment options are discussed with a review of the literature.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Venerology and Allergology, University of Leipzig, Germany. doris.helbig@yahoo.de
authors.forename: Doris
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Helbig
authors.forename: Marc Oliver
authors.initials: MO
authors.lastname: Bodendorf
authors.forename: Sonja
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Grunewald
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kendler
authors.forename: Mandy
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Albert
authors.forename: Jan C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Simon
authors.forename: Uwe
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Paasch
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002615:Chemexfoliation; D003560:Cysts / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D006201:Hair Diseases / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D053844:Lasers, Solid-State / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male