Picosecond 532-nm neodymium-doped yttrium aluminium garnet laser—a novel and promising modality for the treatment of café-au-lait macules

Abstract

Café-au-lait macules (CALMs) present as benign hyperpigmented, well-circumscribed spots on the skin for which many patients seek treatment for aesthetic reasons. The objective of this study is to report our experience in treating CALMs using a picosecond 532-nm neodymium-doped yttrium aluminium garnet (PS 532nm) laser. This is a retrospective case series of 16 patients with CALMs who were treated by a PS 532-nm laser (1-4 treatments, 4-8weeks apart). Response as seen on clinical photographs was assessed by two independent dermatologists and graded on a scale of 0 (exacerbation) to 5 (95-100% improvement). Patient satisfaction and tolerance were documented at final visit. The results of 15 patients demonstrated significant improvement (average 3.43), and their satisfaction and tolerance levels were high. One patient had no response whatsoever to treatment. The PS 532-nm laser is a promising novel modality for the treatment of CALMs.