Nd:YAG Laser Treatment of Recalcitrant Folliculitis Decalvans

• Published in: Dermatologic surgery Vol. 30; no. 8; pp. 1152 - 1154
• Main Authors: Parlette, Eric C., Kroeger, Nathan, Ross, E. Victor
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford, UK Blackwell Science Inc 01-08-2004; by the American Society for Dermatologic Surgery, Inc; Blackwell
• Subjects: Adult; Biological and medical sciences; Dermatology; Diagnosis, Differential; Folliculitis - diagnosis; Folliculitis - pathology; Folliculitis - surgery; General aspects; Hair and nails disorders; Humans; Laser Therapy; Male; Medical sciences; Neodymium; Recurrence; Scalp Dermatoses - diagnosis; Scalp Dermatoses - pathology; Scalp Dermatoses - surgery; Skin plastic surgery; Surgery (general aspects). Transplantations, organ and tissue grafts. Graft diseases; Case study; Human; Hair; Skin disease; Alopecia; Treatment; Neodymium; Dermatology; YAG laser; Folliculitis
• ISSN: 1076-0512; 1524-4725
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1524-4725.2004.30344.x

Background. The scarring follicular disorders pose challenging therapeutic dilemmas.
Objective. Hair removal lasers have recently been shown to be efficacious in the management of these disorders.
Methods. We present a young, Fitzpatrick skin type VI African‐American patient with recalcitrant folliculitis decalvans, whom we treated with the neodymium:yttrium aluminum garnet (Nd:YAG) laser.
Results. A remission of folliculitis decalvans was successfully achieved using the Nd:YAG for laser depilation.
Conclusion. Based on the optical properties of light in skin, the Nd:YAG laser is the best for laser depilation in dark individuals.