When not to treat cutaneous vascular lesions with the pulsed dye laser

• Published in: Lasers in surgery and medicine 2011-09, Vol.43 (8), p.792-796
• Main Authors: Shofner, Joshua D., Lipworth, Adam, Tannous, Zeina, Avram, Mathew M.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Benign; Cosmetics; Differential diagnosis; Humans; Lasers; Lasers, Dye; Male; Middle Aged; petechiae; pulsed dye laser; Skin Diseases, Vascular - diagnosis; Skin Diseases, Vascular - surgery; telangiectasia
• ISSN: 0196-8092; 1096-9101; 1096-9101
• DOI: 10.1002/lsm.21119

The availability of effective laser treatment for cutaneous vascular lesions has risen dramatically in recent years. At the same time, there has been a proliferation of laser providers with varying amounts of training—both medical and nonmedical. We report a series of four cases where patients presented for cosmetic evaluation of vascular lesions and were discovered to have more significant pathologic disease. In presenting these cases, we hope to illuminate a basic differential diagnosis that exists for cutaneous vascular lesions and remind healthcare providers that not all “cosmetic” concerns are benign in origin. There is a differential diagnosis that exists for cutaneous vascular lesions that is worth reviewing, and it should be considered in all patients presenting for laser treatment. Lasers Surg. Med. © 2011 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.