Port wine stain coagulation experiments with a 540-nm continuous wave dye-laser.

Treatment of port wine stains with a continuous wave dye laser at 540 nm was performed in three patients. Coagulation of the capillary blood plexus without damaging the epidermis and superficial dermis was shown to be possible for laser energy densities between 5 J/cm2 and 6.5 J/cm2. Vascular destruction was realised up to about 0.3 mm dermal depth. After 5 months the skin was perfectly normal. A comparison with argon laser treatment was made.