Laser treatment of skin lesions in children

Lasers may be used to treat a variety of dermatological disorders in children. This review article outlines the issues surrounding parental counselling and the use of lasers in paediatric patients. It summarises which lasers are currently being used to treat common paediatric skin diseases. Port wine stains and haemangiomas are common vascular lesions that are usually treated with the pulsed dye laser (PDL). Ruby and Q-switched long-pulsed neodymium-doped yttrium–aluminium–garnet (Nd:YAG) lasers may be used to treat pigmented lesions such as melanocytic naevi and naevus of Ota. Erbium-YAG and carbon dioxide lasers are employed to treat verrucous epidermal naevi. Long-pulsed ruby, alexandrite, diode, Nd:YAG lasers and intense pulsed light (IPL) are all currently used for hair removal.