The efficacy of intense pulsed light for Becker's nevus: A retrospective analysis of 45 cases

Background Becker's nevus is a common skin disorder. Lasers and light instruments are the major modalities for the treatment of Becker's nevus, but the outcomes were mixed. Objective To evaluate the efficacy of the intense pulsed light for Becker's nevus in a large Chinese cohort. Methods We retrospectively analyzed the efficacy of the intense pulsed light for Becker's nevus in a single center. Results A total of 45 patients, including 26 males and 19 females (male to female ratio = 1.4), aged 5-42 years, were included in this analysis. Twenty-seven patients (60%) were with hypertrichosis. Treatments with intense pulsed light resulted in over 75% improvements in pigmentation and hair density in 1 and 2 cases, respectively. One patient displayed 51%-75% reductions in hair density. The rest displayed <= 50% improvements in pigmentation and hair density. Recurrence occurred in all cases within 6 months after the last treatment. Adverse reactions were temporary and mild hypopigmentation, hyperpigmentation, hypertrophic scar, pain, and erythema. Conclusion Intense pulsed light does not exhibit long-term benefits for Becker's nevus. Further studies in the large cohort are still required to validate the present results. Moreover, whether changes in the treatment parameters can improve the efficacy of intense pulsed light remains to be explored.