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Ablative fractional resurfacing improved hemangioma residuum

Ablative fractional resurfacing safely and effectively treated textural skin changes resulting from involuted infantile hemangiomas, according to study results.

In a case series, researchers in New York reviewed five patients (4 females) with textural skin changes resulting from involuted infantile hemangiomas treated with ablative fractional resurfacing (AFR; age range at initial treatment, 4 to 13 years). Three patients also were treated with 595-nm pulsed dye lasers before or simultaneously with AFR. Treatment parameters ranged from 20 mJ to 40 mJ and 20% to 40% coverage. Patients underwent two to 13 treatments, and average interval ranged from 2 to 10 months.

Patients experienced at least 50% to 75% improvement in color, texture and overall appearance, with considerable flattening of fibrofatty residual tissue. Two patients reported 75% to 100% improvement in atrophy, topographical abnormalities and pigmentary changes. AFR was well tolerated; there was no infection, scarring or pigmentary alteration. Post-treatment adverse effects resolved within 5 to 7 days and included moderate erythema and edema.

“AFR can safely and effectively improve the epidermal atrophy, fibrofatty residual and overall appearance of hemangioma residuum,” the researchers concluded. “The fractional CO₂ technology allows quick recovery and is of particular importance in children, who possess fewer pilosebaceous units that act as reservoirs for epidermal replacement.

“The long period of time over which these laser treatments were administered [up to 3.5 years] makes it difficult [without controls] to discern whether the clinical improvement was solely a result of the laser treatments. We believe that AFR should be considered for the treatment of textural skin changes associated with involuted infantile hemangiomas.”

Disclosure: See the study for a full list of relevant disclosures.