title: Investigation into optimal treatment intervals of facial port-wine stains using the pulsed dye laser.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Port-wine stains (PWS) affect 0.3% to 0.5% of newborns and pulsed dye laser (PDL) remains the treatment of choice. Optimal treatment intervals have not been established.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  We sought to validate the optimal treatment intervals for the management of facial PWS with PDL.
  
  
  METHODS
  In all, 24 infants with facial PWS who received at least 5 treatments with the PDL at 2-, 3-, and 4-week intervals at a private laser and skin surgery center from 2009 to 2010 were identified by a retrospective chart review. Safety and efficacy were compared by blinded investigators.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Side effects were equivalent in all interval groups and included only expected short-term erythema, edema, purpura, and mild postinflammatory hyperpigmentation. No patient developed hypopigmentation, scarring, or infection. All interval groups showed 50% to 100% clearance of their PWS after 5 treatments. Complete or near-complete clearance was seen in 6 of 8 (75%) and 7 of 8 (87.5%) patients in the 2- and 3-week interval groups, respectively, as compared with 3 of 8 (37.5%) patients in the 4-week interval group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This was a retrospective chart review from a single institution. Long-term side effects and recurrence rates were not assessed.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We conclude that PDL treatments at 2-, 3-, and 4-week intervals are effective for the management of facial PWS in infants with minimal short-term side effects. Shorter treatment intervals may allow for relatively more rapid and more effective treatment.
authors.affiliation: Laser & Skin Surgery Center of New York, New York, New York 10016, USA. ranolik@laserskinsurgery.com
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Anolik
authors.forename: Tracey
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Newlove
authors.forename: Elliot T
authors.initials: ET
authors.lastname: Weiss
authors.forename: Lori
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Brightman
authors.forename: Elizabeth K
authors.initials: EK
authors.lastname: Hale
authors.forename: Julie K
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Karen
authors.forename: Leonard
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Bernstein
authors.forename: Roy G
authors.initials: RG
authors.lastname: Geronemus
mesh_terms: D005145:Face; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D054025:Lasers, Dye / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D019339:Port-Wine Stain / Q000601:surgery*; D019233:Retreatment / Q000379:methods; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome