Treatment of seborrheic keratosis with a copper vapour laser

Aim: to assess the efficacy and side-effect risk of the surgical treatment of seborrheic k eratosis (SK) using a copper vapour laser (CVL).

Patients and methods. 3980 patients (1214 men and 2766 women aged 20 to 78 years) suffering from SK were treated using a CVL (Yakhroma-Med model, Russian producer) equipped with a laser pen and a scanning nozzle. The laser treatment was performed without anaesthesia in one to four sessions. During the treatment procedure, the following radiation parameters were applied: wavelengths ranging from 511 to 578 nm (in the ratio of 3 to 2), an average power of 0.6–1.2 W and an exposure duration ranging from 0.2 to 0.4 s. The diameter of the light spot on the skin surface was 1 mm. The follow-up observation lasted 24 months.

Results. The computer simulation of tissue heating by CVL and other laser systems showed that CVL is an optimal treatment choice for seborrheic keratosis in terms of the energy deposition depth. According to our clinical data and the results of computer simulation, the CVL is established to be the safest and the most effective for seborrheic keratosis treatment.