ARGON-LASER TREATMENT OF CUTANEOUS MULTIPLE ANGIOKERATOMAS

BACKGROUND. Angiokeratomas are cutaneous vascular lesions with common clinical and histological features: dark red to black papules and ecta sia of upper dermis vessels, respectively. Multiple angiokeratomas are difficult to treat because they are often too extensive for surgery a nd cautery, procedures frequently leading to hemorrhage and scarring. OBJECTIVE. Our report is designed to evaluate the efficacy of argon la ser photocoagulation in the treatment of multiple angiokeratomas. METH ODS. TWO male patients affected by angiokeratoma circumscriptum and an giokeratoma of Fordyce, respectively, were treated using an argon lase r under local anesthesia. The laser beam was used as a hemostyptic and to flatten vascular papules by photocoagulation. RESULTS. The cosmeti c results of argon laser treatment were good. Posttreatment crusting l asted 2 weeks; 4 months later there was excellent healing without scar ring. CONCLUSION. Angiokeratomas respond favorably to argon laser phot ocoagulation since vascular ectasias are localized in the papillary de rmis. Thus, the argon laser offers significant advantages over traditi onal methods and produces no side effects.