300 Longwood Avenue Boston, MA 02115 (617) 355-6000 My Child Has: Pulsed Dye Laser Programs that perform this procedure General Surgery Program   Sturge-Weber Syndrome Clinic   What is the pulsed dye laser? It is a device that is "tuned" to a specific wavelength of light. It produces a bright light that is absorbed by blood vessels. The abnormal blood vessels are destroyed without damaging the surrounding skin. What kind of conditions can be treated? The commonly treated conditions include telangiectasias or spider angiomas, port wine stains, and hemangiomas. Spider angiomas are single dilated blood vessels. Port wine stains are birthmarks that tend to darken and thicken as the person ages. Hemangiomas grow rapidly after birth, but usually disappear with time. What does the treatment entail? During the treatment, the physician will hold a handpiece or wand against the skin and "pulse" the laser. The patient wears eye protection because laser light can potentially harm the eyes. At the first session, the physician will probably test the child's skin reaction to the laser. Other sessions may be longer (up to 30 minutes) in order to treat a larger area. Some lesions (spider angiomas) may require only 1 or 2 treatment sessions, while larger lesions (port wine stains) require 4-10 sessions. Is the treatment painful? The laser light feels a bit like a rubber band snapping against the skin. There is often a tingling or burning sensation for up to 6 hours after treatment. Most adults tolerate the procedure without anesthesia. Some children may require anesthetic or medication to relax them. What are the side effects? Immediately after the treatment, a purple discoloration appears at the treatment site. This lasts for 7 to 10 days. As this color fades, the treated area may still look red, but will slowly fade to normal skin color over the next few weeks. Crusting may develop in the first several days and last up to 2 weeks. Some patients may experience a temporary brown discoloration of the skin for several months. What precautions need to be taken before/after treatment? Avoid direct exposure to the sun in any are of skin for 3 weeks prior to the treatment. Sunburn and suntan may absorb the laser light and make the treatment less effective. Treated skin may also be overly sensitive to the sun and should not be exposed for several months. A sunscreen with SPF 15 or greater is suggested. Avoid aspirin and aspirin-like products for 14 days prior to treatment. An antibiotic ointment and a bandage may be applied immediately after treatment. Who performs pulsed dye laser? At Children's Hospital Boston, pulsed dye laser is performed by the Vascular Anomalies Center Dermatologist, Marilyn Liang, M.D. Where can I call for more information? Call Children's Hospital at Lexington at 781-672-2100 if you have any questions or concerns, or want to make an appointment. The information on this website should not be taken as medical advice, which can only be given to you by your personal health care professional. Copyright © Children's Hospital Boston. All rights reserved.