Efficacy of a Fractionated 1540-nm Erbium Glass Laser in the Treatment of Dermatofibromas.

Background: Treatment of dermatofibromas, beyond surgical excision, has remained inadequate and elusive. Nonsurgical treatment options are desired by both patients and physicians. Erbium glass lasers are known for targeting and remodeling the dermis but have not yet been studied for the treatment of dermatofibromas.

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of the fractional 1540-nm erbium glass laser for treatment of dermatofibromas.

Methods: Thirty-five patients representing 44 dermatofibromas completed 2 consecutive monthly treatments with a non-ablative, fractional 1540-nm erbium glass laser and were evaluated at 4, 8, and 12 weeks after the initial treatment. Dermatofibromas were evaluated using patient surveys given before and after the treatments.

Results: By week 4, patients reported improvement in color and texture of the dermatofibromas. These improvements were durable through week 12. No complications were reported.

Conclusions: This study demonstrates that the fractional 1540-nm erbium glass laser may be used to improve the color and texture of dermatofibromas and achieve positive patient reported outcomes after only 2 treatments. J Drugs Dermatol. 2022;21(11):1201-1205. doi:10.36849/JDD.6287.