Successful Treatment of Sebaceous Nevus With Copper Vapor Laser

Abstract

Introduction: Sebaceous nevus (SN) is a benign skin hamartoma with a potent transformation in benign or malignant tumors in adolescents or adults. Due to the most common location in the esthetic zone, an SN makes patients seek a dermatologist for cosmetic concerns on the face or neck. The surgical excision of a large-sized SN in the esthetic zone may require reconstruction with a skin flap and be associated with recurrences and scar formation. Case Report: We describe the successful treatment of the large-sized neck SN with copper vapor laser (CVL) for the first time. A left-sided neck SN (linear size of 27 mm) in the 24-year-old Caucasian female completely resolved after eight CVL sessions. The settings were as follows: average power accounted for 0.8-1.0 W, with a ratio at green (511 nm) and yellow (578 nm) wavelengths of 3:2. The pulse duration was set as 20 nanoseconds, the repetition rate 16.6 kHz, the exposure time 200 ms, light spot diameter of 1 mm. The CVL treatment resulted in the complete disappearance of the SN without remote side effects such as hyperpigmentation, scarring or recurrences 24 months after the treatment. The patient was satisfied with the excellent cosmetic results. Conclusion: The CVL treatment of the SN provides the most relevant result due to the complete elimination of SN cells and the remodeling of the vascular bed supplying the involved areas.

Keywords: Copper vapor laser; Laser treatment; Sebaceous nevus.