Application of Lasers for Abrasion in Transplantation Procedures for Vitiligo

초록

When vitiliginous lesions are removed for grafting, removal of only the epidermis is ideal for a good cosmetic outcome. Epidermis removal in vitiligo patients can be achieved in several ways, including superficial dermabrasion. This chapter discusses the laser techniques for abrasion of recipient areas. A high-speed dermabrader, a carbon dioxide (CO2) laser, or an erbium:neodymium-doped yttrium-aluminum-garnet (Er:YAG) laser can be applied under topical or local anesthesia. Light emitted by the Er:YAG laser (2940 nm) is closer to the absorption peak of water (3000 nm) than the CO2 laser (10 600 nm). The use of a fractionated CO2 laser, which delivered energy fractionally, resulted in small columns of thermal damage interspersed with normal tissue. As more advanced devices of CO2 lasers have been developed, ablative removal of the vitiliginous area is regarded as not only easier but also a less time-consuming procedure. © 2018 by John Wiley & Sons Ltd. All rights reserved.