title: Beneficial effects of early treatment of nevus of Ota with low-fluence 1,064-nm Q-switched Nd:YAG laser.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Childhood nevus of Ota is likely to be more superficial than the adult nevus, therefore early laser treatment of nevus of Ota might have some beneficial effects in children.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the beneficial effects of early treatment of nevus of Ota with a low-fluence 1,064-nm Q-switched neodymium-doped yttrium aluminum garnet (Nd:YAG) laser.
  
  
  METHODS
  The authors performed a retrospective study of 31 Korean patients (Fitzpatrick skin Type IV) with nevus of Ota. The patients received a series of 6 to 32 treatment sessions at 2- to 3-week intervals with a Q-switched Nd:YAG laser at settings of 7- or 8-mm spot, 1.9 to 5.0 J/cm2 mean fluence.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean fluence was less in patients younger than 10 years (2.2 ± 0.3 J/cm2) than in those older than 10 years (2.8 ± 0.8 J/cm2) (p = .006). Patients who started their first treatment earlier required fewer treatment sessions to reach moderate, marked, and near total improvement (p < .05). By starting treatment early, low mean fluence was required to reach the end point in each session (p < .001). Post-treatment hyperpigmentation was observed in 1 patient.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This treatment was clinically effective and safe for early nevus of Ota using a low-fluence Q-switched Nd:YAG laser.
authors.affiliation: *All the authors are affiliated with the Department of Dermatology, Kangbuk Samsung Hospital, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Hyun-Min
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Seo
authors.forename: Chong-Won
authors.initials: CW
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.forename: Won-Serk
authors.initials: WS
authors.lastname: Kim
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005153:Facial Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D053844:Lasers, Solid-State / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009507:Nevus of Ota / Q000601:surgery*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D055502:Secondary Prevention; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery*; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult