title: Treatment of acquired and small congenital melanocytic nevi with combined Er: YAG laser and long-pulsed alexandrite laser in Asian skin.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  There is no gold standard for the treatment of benign melanocytic nevi for cosmetic purposes.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the efficacy and safety of combined treatment with the short-pulsed erbium:yttrium-aluminum-garnet (Er:YAG) and long-pulsed alexandrite laser for acquired melanocytic nevi (AMN) and small congenital melanocytic nevi (CMN).
  
  
  METHODS
  Fifty-eight AMN and 7 small CMN in 24 Korean patients were treated with Er:YAG laser followed by long-pulsed alexandrite laser at 1-month intervals.
  
  
  RESULTS
  At 8 weeks after the final treatment, all treated nevi showed complete removal of pigmentation, and the mean overall improvement score assessed by physicians, with a quartile grading scale, was 3.6 ± 0.7. The mean number of treatment sessions required to treat CMN (1.5 ± 0.3) was significantly greater than that for junctional (1.1 ± 0.2) or compound (1.2 ± 0.5) AMN. Postinflammatory hyperpigmentation (4.6%), erythema (9.2%), hypertrophic scars (1.5%), and mild atrophic scars (10.8%) were observed, but all resolved within 6 months, except for hypertrophic scars and 1 atrophic scar. Recurrence of pigmentation was observed in 1 CMN (1.5%) during 6 months of follow-up.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Combined treatment with Er:YAG laser and long-pulsed alexandrite laser is effective for the removal of small benign melanocytic nevi with minimal adverse effects and low recurrence rates.
authors.affiliation: *Department of Dermatology, Gangnam Severance Hospital, Cutaneous Biology Research Institute, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea; †Yonsei-Modern Skin Clinic, Seoul, Korea; ‡Human Dermatology Clinic, Korea Dermatology Research Institute, Seongnam-si, Korea.
authors.forename: Sang Eun
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Ji Young
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.forename: Kyung Tai
authors.initials: KT
authors.lastname: Hong
authors.forename: Kyung Real
authors.initials: KR
authors.lastname: Lee
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D046169:Dermoscopy; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D053685:Laser Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D053844:Lasers, Solid-State / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D009508:Nevus, Pigmented / Q000151:congenital / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D056910:Republic of Korea; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000151:congenital / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult