Effect of wavelength on cutaneous pigment using pulsed irradiation

Journal Article · Mon May 01 00:00:00 EDT 1989 · J. Invest. Dermatol.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1111/1523-1747.ep12721505· OSTI ID:6065397

Sherwood, K A; Murray, S; Kurban, A K; Tan, O T

Several reports have been published over the last two decades describing the successful removal of benign cutaneous pigmented lesions such as lentigines, cafe au lait macules' nevi, nevus of Ota, and lentigo maligna by a variety of lasers such as the excimer (351 nm), argon (488,514 nm), ruby (694 nm), Nd:YAG (1060 nm), and CO/sub 2/ (10,600 nm). Laser treatment has been applied to lesions with a range of pigment depths from superficial lentigines in the epidermis to the nevus of Ota in the reticular dermis. Widely divergent laser parameters of wavelength, pulse duration, energy density, and spotsizes have been used, but the laser parameters used to treat this range of lesions have been arbitrary, with little effort focused on defining optimal laser parameters for removal of each type. In this study, miniature black pig skin was exposed to five wavelengths (504, 590, 694, 720, and 750 nm) covering the absorption spectrum of melanin. At each wavelength, a range of energy densities was examined. Skin biopsies taken from laser-exposed sites were examined histologically in an attempt to establish whether optimal laser parameters exist for destroying pigment cells in skin. Of the five wavelengths examined, 504 nm produced the most pigment specific injury; this specificity being maintained even at the highest energy density of 7.0 J/cm2. Thus, for the destruction of melanin-containing cells in the epidermal compartment, 504 nm wavelength appears optimal.

• Research Organization: Boston Univ. School of Medicine, MA (USA)
• OSTI ID: 6065397
• Journal Information: J. Invest. Dermatol.; (United States), Vol. 92:5
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
LASER RADIATION
BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS
SKIN
SENSITIVITY
ABSORPTION SPECTRA
ANIMAL CELLS
BIOPSY
CARBON DIOXIDE LASERS
GAS LASERS
MELANIN
MINIATURE SWINE
NEODYMIUM LASERS
RUBY LASERS
SPECIFICITY
WAVELENGTHS
ANIMALS
BODY
DIAGNOSTIC TECHNIQUES
DOMESTIC ANIMALS
ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION
HYDROXY COMPOUNDS
LASERS
MAMMALS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC NITROGEN COMPOUNDS
ORGANS
PIGMENTS
RADIATIONS
SOLID STATE LASERS
SPECTRA
SWINE
VERTEBRATES
560400* - Other Environmental Pollutant Effects