A Retrospective Analysis of the Efficacy and Safety of Q-Switched and Picosecond Lasers for Treating Becker’s Nevus

Abstract

Background. Becker’s nevus (BN) severely affects a patient’s appearance and can lead to depression, especially when it involves the face or neck. Currently, there is no effective treatment. Laser therapy has become popular, but its efficacy has not been confirmed. We evaluated the efficacy and safety of lasers in treating BN. Methods. This retrospective study involved 49 patients exposed to different laser treatments who completed at least one treatment session and follow-up. Results. The patients treated with the 755-nm alexandrite picosecond laser and Q-switched 694-nm ruby laser gained relatively good results: 3.07 ± 1.09 and 2.87 ± 1.14 on the five-point scale and 3.47 ± 0.73 and 3.40 ± 0.85 on the GAIS, respectively. However, the results of the 755-nm alexandrite picosecond laser with a diffractive focus lens array and the fractionated 1064-nm neodymium-doped: yttrium aluminum garnet picosecond laser were poor. Furthermore, there were marked differences between the number of treatment sessions and treatment effects, both for the five-point grading score for pigment clearance (F = 15.246, $p<0.001$ ) and GAIS (F = 15.469, $p<0.001$ ). Concerning different lasers and efficacy, there were no marked differences between the five-point grading scale and the GAIS ( $p>0.05$ ). Conclusions. Although the efficacy of various lasers for BN is not satisfactory and there are no marked differences between picosecond and Q-switched lasers, they can help in selecting an appropriate laser for slight-to -moderate pigment removal. The 755-nm alexandrite picosecond laser is a new option, whereas nonablative fractional picosecond lasers for BN are not recommended. Increasing the number of treatment sessions can improve the curative effect slightly.