Effectiveness of erbium:YAG laser and cryosurgery in seborrheic keratoses: Randomized, prospective intraindividual comparison study.

Abstract

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE:

Seborrheic keratoses (SK) are benign cutaneous lesions frequently seen in old age. The aim of the study is to compare the efficiency of Er:YAG lasers with cryotherapy in the treatment of SK.

PATIENTS AND METHODS:

The study was carried out on 42 patients with SK sized 0.5-3 cm, located on the back, chest, face and neck. Lesions with a similar size and location on the same patient were matched. In the same session, half of the lesions were treated with cryotherapy, while the other half were treated with Er:YAG lasers. All of the patients were clinically evaluated in two recalls with a one-month interval between appointments. The efficiency of the treatments was clinically evaluated.

RESULTS:

Following the first treatment, complete healing was detected in all of the lesions (100%) treated with Er:YAG lasers, while the healing rate was 68% in the cryotherapy group (p < 0.01). In the Er:YAG laser-treated group, hyperpigmentation was significantly lower and more erythema developed than in the cryotherapy group.

CONCLUSION:

Er:YAG lasers offer a one-step procedure which is a very simple and economic treatment and provides an alternative treatment method with better cosmetic results compared to cryotherapy.

• Authors: Mehmet Salih Gurel, Burcak Bozdemir Aral
• Journal: The Journal of dermatological treatment (J Dermatolog Treat) Vol. 26 Issue 5 Pg. 477-80 (Oct 2015) ISSN: 1471-1753 [Electronic] England
• PMID: 25798694 (Publication Type: Comparative Study, Journal Article, Randomized Controlled Trial)

Chemical References

• Erbium

Topics

• Adult
• Aged
• Aged, 80 and over
• Cryotherapy (economics, methods)
• Erbium
• Erythema (etiology)
• Face
• Female
• Humans
• Hyperpigmentation (etiology)
• Keratosis, Seborrheic (surgery)
• Laser Therapy (economics, methods)
• Lasers, Solid-State (therapeutic use)
• Male
• Middle Aged
• Neck
• Prospective Studies
• Skin (pathology)
• Treatment Outcome
• Wound Healing