A recent study has shown that picosecond 730 nm laser can be used to safely and effectively treat solar lentigines with little risk of post-treatment hyperpigmentation.
A press release from the American Society of Laser Medicine & Surgery (ASLMS) notes that lasers have been a common treatment for solar lentigines, but the laser devices typically used often cause hyperpigmentation that can last for weeks to months in patients with darker skin tones. The new laser device was developed to try and reduce hyperpigmentation risk.
“Solar lentigines, dark spots that result from sun exposure, are a common aesthetic concern, but patients with dark skin tones often develop hyperpigmentaion following laser treatment of these lesions,” said the study’s lead author Dr. Arielle Kauvar in the release. “The titanium:sapphire 730 nm picosecond laser provides an optimal combination of wavelength and pulse duration for effective treatment of solar lentigines with minimal risk of hyperpigmentation.”
The study, published online ahead of print in Lasers in Surgery and Medicine (Aug. 17, 2021), enrolled 20 subjects with 37 body regions treated. Of those, 16 subjects with 30 treated body regions completed the study protocol. The four subjects who dropped out did so for reasons unrelated to the study protocol.
In the study participants, the 730 nm picosecond laser produced good clearance of solar lentigines on the face and body with rapid healing and without side effects.
Histopathologic findings showed that this treatment approach had excellent selectivity for pigment with minimal disruption of the dermal–epidermal junction. Those qualities may reduce healing times and the risk of adverse events. However, all participants in this study had Fitzpatrick skin types II and III, and the authors note that further testing in individuals with darker skin types is needed.
Watch for more on this development in an upcoming issue of The Chronicle of Cosmetic Medicine + Surgery.