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Low-fluence YAG laser effective, safe in treating nevus of Ota

A low-fluence Q-switched YAG laser was effective and safe in the early treatment of patients with nevus of Ota, according to recent study results.

Researchers conducted a retrospective study of 31 Korean patients (mean age, 13.9 years; 21 females) with Fitzpatrick skin type IV and nevus of Ota. A series of six to 32 treatment sessions at 2- to 3-week intervals with a low-fluence 1,064 nm Q-switched YAG laser at settings of 7- or 8-mm spot, 1.9 to 5.0 J/cm² mean fluence were conducted on the patients.

Thirty of the patients experienced near total improvement (mean, 17.5 treatment sessions).

Patients younger than 10 years experienced less mean fluence (2.2 ± 0.3 J/cm²) than those older than 10 years (2.8 ± 0.8 J/cm²; P = .006). Fewer treatment sessions were required to reach “moderate, marked and near total improvement” by the patients who started their first treatment earlier (P < .05).

“By starting treatment early, low mean fluence was required to reach the end point in each session (P < .001),” the researchers wrote.

Petechia (n=nine patients), pain (n=five patients) and erythema (n=one patient) were adverse effects. One patient experienced post-treatment hyperpigmentation.

“Early treatment of nevus of Ota using a low-fluence 1,064 nm Q-switched Nd:YAG laser had significantly better results compared with the laser treatment, in terms of required mean fluence and number of treatments required for improvement,” the researchers concluded.

Disclosure: The researchers report no relevant financial disclosures.