Treatment of procedure-related postinflammatory hyperpigmentation using 1064-nm Q-switched Nd: YAG laser with low fluence in Asian patients: Report of five cases

Abstract

Postinflammatory hyperpigmentation (PIH) developing after cosmetic procedures, such as chemical peeling and laser therapies, are always a concern, especially in Asians. Some cases of PIH tend to be spontaneously regressed; however, certain forms of PIH need to be treated with several therapeutic attempts, including bleaching creams, several kinds of Q-switched lasers, and erbium-doped fractional photothermolysis system, with various treatment outcomes. A 1064-nm Q-switched Nd:YAG laser with low-fluence therapy is easily applicable, and the therapeutic trial in our case was revealed to have minimal downtime without post-therapy bleeding or crust formation; the post-therapy erythema spontaneously resolved within a few hours. The 1064-nm Q-switched Nd:YAG laser with low-fluence treatment should be considered in the treatment of PIH caused by procedures like laser surgery and chemical peeling in Asian patients. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.