Laser therapy in dermatology: Kids are not just little people

Abstract

Advances in laser research and technology have led to expanded laser applications for the treatment of dermatologic disease. Lasers are viable treatment modalities for patients of any age group and offer unique treatment options for both adult and pediatric patients. While many skin diseases can be treated similarly in children and adults, differences in treatment approaches can result from varying anxiety levels, pain tolerance, psychosocial considerations of untreated disease, determination of suitable anesthesia, the use of size-appropriate safety equipment, and differences in the evolution of skin disease over time. Laser therapy can prove effective for the treatment of molluscum contagiosum unresponsive to conventional therapy. Hypertrophied vascular lesions and pigmented lesions, such as the nevus of Ota, respond more effectively to laser therapy earlier in life with fewer treatment sessions and reduced side effects. In the case of port-wine stains, the pulsed dye laser is the agent of choice in the pediatric patient, while the Q-switched alexandrite may be more effective in the adult population.