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OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to demonstrate a novel, effective, and safe way to utilize the Erb:YAG laser to clear freckles in Type III/IV Asian skin. DESIGN: This was a prospective study. SETTING: The setting was a Singapore-based clinic. PARTICIPANTS: Participants included five women, aged 25 to 38 years, three with Skin Type III and two with Skin Type IV. All of them had freckles. MEASUREMENTS: Photographs were taken pretreatment and one month after laser treatment. Three independent physicians evaluated the photographs using a grading system. Patients were followed clinically for a total of six months post-laser treatment to monitor for post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation and recurrence. RESULTS: At one month post-laser treatment, all five patients were evaluated. The three independent physicians agreed that all five patients had greater than 90-percent clearance of their freckles. During the subsequent follow-up visits (up to 6 months post-laser treatment), no post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation, hypopigmentation, or recurrence was seen. CONCLUSION: The Erb:Yag laser might be considered an effective and safe treatment for freckles in Asian patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, laser toning or laser facial to treat melasma has become increasingly popular in Asia. It is common to see patients undergoing lasers three times a week, or even daily. This is part of a growing trend and is sometimes recommended in the user manuals from laser manufacturers. In our study, we report on 23 Chinese patients who had lasers performed three times a week for two consecutive months, followed by rest. All 23 of them developed bilateral confetti-like hypopigmentation at the end of two months. During the four-month follow-up and rest, 10 patients were lost to follow-up. Of the remaining 13 patients, none of them had repigmentation. We conclude that frequent laser facials or laser toning at regular intervals may result in undesirable outcomes and thus should not be performed in regular intervals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]