title: A low-fluence 1064-nm Q-switched neodymium-doped yttrium aluminium garnet laser for the treatment of café-au-lait macules.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Café-au-lait macules (CALMs) are a common pigmentary disorder. Although a variety of laser modalities have been used to treat CALMs, their efficacies vary and dyspigmentation may develop.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  We evaluated the clinical efficacy and safety of a low-fluence 1064-nm Q-switched neodymium-doped yttrium aluminium garnet (Nd:YAG) laser for the treatment of CALMs.
  
  
  METHODS
  In a preliminary investigation, 6 patients underwent a split-lesion comparative study with 532- and 1064-nm Q-switched Nd:YAG laser treatment. In total, 32 patients with 39 CALMs were enrolled in a subsequent prospective trial to evaluate the treatment with a low-fluence 1064-nm Q-switched Nd:YAG laser.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In the preliminary study, the 1064-nm treatment group had a more favorable response and a shorter recovery time. In a subsequent prospective trial of a 1064-nm laser, 74.4% of the lesions showed a clinical response with clearance of ≥50.0%. The treatment regimen was well tolerated; 15.4% of patients experienced adverse events.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The study participants were followed for 6 months, and there were no relevant treatment controls in the prospective trial group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Low-fluence 1064-nm Q-switched Nd:YAG laser therapy afforded good clinical improvement for treating CALMs.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, School of Medicine, Chungnam National University, Daejeon, Korea.
authors.forename: Hyeong-Rae
authors.initials: HR
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, School of Medicine, Chungnam National University, Daejeon, Korea.
authors.forename: Jeong-Min
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Ha
authors.affiliation: W Skin Clinic, Daejeon, Korea.
authors.forename: Min-Soo
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Park
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, School of Medicine, Chungnam National University, Daejeon, Korea.
authors.forename: Young
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, School of Medicine, Chungnam National University, Daejeon, Korea.
authors.forename: Young-Joon
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Seo
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, School of Medicine, Chungnam National University, Daejeon, Korea.
authors.forename: Chang-Deok
authors.initials: CD
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, School of Medicine, Chungnam National University, Daejeon, Korea.
authors.forename: Jeung-Hoon
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, School of Medicine, Chungnam National University, Daejeon, Korea. Electronic address: im1177@hanmail.net.
authors.forename: Myung
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Im
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000535:Aluminum; D019080:Cafe-au-Lait Spots / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D053844:Lasers, Solid-State / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D028022:Low-Level Light Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D011446:Prospective Studies; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult; D015019:Yttrium
chemical_list: C503779:yttrium-aluminum-garnet; D015019:Yttrium; D000535:Aluminum
keywords: 1064-nm Q-switched Nd:YAG laser; café-au-lait macules; laser therapy