Treatment of xanthelasma palpebrarum with a 1064-nm, Q-switched Nd:YAG laser

BACKGROUND: Xanthelasma palpebrarum is the most common cutaneous xanthoma characterized by soft, yellow papules or plaques that arise on the periorbital skin. As these lesions can be cosmetically disfiguring, many patients seek medical help to remove these lesions.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the effectiveness and minimum number of treatment sessions with a 1064-nm, Q-switched neodymium-doped yttrium aluminum garnet (Nd:YAG) laser for the treatment of xanthelasma.

METHODS: A retrospective review of patients with xanthelasma consecutively treated with Q-switched Nd:YAG laser was conducted. Forty-six patients with 103 lesions were identified from January 2012 through August 2015. Photographs taken of patients immediately before treatment and 4-8 weeks after treatment were independently evaluated by 2 dermatologists.

RESULTS: After a single treatment session, 93.2% of lesions had some degree of clearance. All lesions had excellent-to-complete clearance after at least 4 treatment sessions. Patients usually required 4 treatment sessions for optimal results.

LIMITATIONS: This was a retrospective study. Treatment parameters varied, follow-up periods were not uniform, and response was not assessed with a validated scale.

CONCLUSION: The Q-switched Nd:YAG laser is effective and well tolerated in the treatment of xanthelasma in our study population.