A recent study assessed the efficacy and safety of 595-nm pulsed dye laser treatment in 120 Asian infants with port wine stains.
Published in Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, the retrospective study found that 84.17% of patients experienced some degree of lesion clearance: 21.67% achieved excellent results (>75% clearance), 23.33% had good clearance (51%–75%), 30.83% had fair clearance (25%–50%), and 15.83% had poor clearance (<25%).
Patients received varying numbers of treatments. Among those who underwent 6 to 9 sessions, 61.5% achieved good or excellent clearance. Similarly, 61.9% of patients who received 10 or more sessions demonstrated good or excellent responses. Fewer than one-third (30.8%) of those who received more than six treatments achieved a good or excellent response, compared with 20.8% of those who received five or fewer treatments.
Patients ranged in age from 1 to 77 months (median, 22 months), with 51 male and 69 female participants. Age significantly influenced outcomes: among patients aged 3 to 12 months, 62.3% achieved good or excellent clearance, compared with 57.1% in the 13- to 36-month age group and 23.2% in patients older than 36 months. The authors suggested that thinner skin in younger patients may improve laser penetration.
Lesion characteristics also influenced treatment efficacy. Among lesions smaller than 10 cm², 41.0% showed excellent clearance, while only 11.5% of lesions larger than 50 cm² achieved similar outcomes. The poorest response occurred in leg lesions, with only 10.5% achieving excellent clearance. In contrast, lesions on the back and chest had the highest excellent clearance rate (46.7%). Lesion color was another determinant: 35.5% of pink lesions showed excellent clearance, compared with 30.0% of red lesions and 0% of purple lesions.
The safety profile of 595-nm pulsed dye laser (PDL) was favorable. Pain, edema, and purpura were the most frequently reported reactions, occurring in 95.8%, 68.3%, and 35.0% of patients, respectively. These effects resolved within 1 to 2 weeks. Less common adverse events included atrophic scarring (0.83%), hyperpigmentation (5.0%), and hypopigmentation (1.67%). All resolved within 3 to 6 months. No severe adverse events were reported.
The authors concluded that 595-nm PDL is a safe and effective treatment option for Asian infants with port wine stains (PWS). According to the authors, “The 595 nm PDL treatment displayed a favorable safety profile, with only mild, well-tolerated adverse effects.”
They emphasized the need for additional research to assess efficacy in older children and more diverse populations. The authors reported no conflicts of interest.
