Treatment of a nonresponding port-wine stain with a new pulsed light source (PhotoDerm® VL)

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: The pulsed dye laser is effective and safe in the treatment of port-wine stains. It is the laser of choice for port-wine stains and initial superficial hemangiomas in children. For the treatment of darker port-wine stains in adults that have not responded to pulsed dye laser treatment, excellent results can be achieved using the PhotoDerm VL, a new technology based upon the emission of wide band, noncoherent intense pulsed light. STUDY DESIGN/PATIENT AND METHODS: Our report presents a patient with a facial port-wine stain that hardly responded to previous pulsed dye laser therapy. After the first ineffective treatment trial, the patient refused further dye laser applications. An intense pulsed light source (Photoderm VL) was applied instead. RESULTS: The lesion responded well after the first treatment session and was completely resolved after four treatments with the PhotoDerm VL. CONCLUSIONS: The new intense pulsed light source Photoderm VL seems to be a promising treatment alternative for the therapy of otherwise nonresponding port-wine stains due to its special technical features.