Hemangiomas of the head and neck region can be a therapeutic challenge depending on their size, flow rate, and location. The neodymium‐yttrium aluminum garnet (Nd‐YAG) laser was used to treat 16 pediatric and adult patients with cavernous, capillary, and mixed hemangiomas as well as hypertrophic port‐wine stains of the head and neck. Low‐power energy and intermittent short exposure accomplished photocoagulation with minimal damage to surrounding tissue. Follow‐up study in these patients has ranged from 1 to 3 years with excellent results in 14 of 16 patients. Few complications and no major morbidity or mortality occurred. Photocoagulation of hemangiomas of the head and neck using the Nd‐YAG laser appears to be an exciting new therapeutic option for this difficult problem. Further clinical study and follow‐up appear to be warranted.

A new surgical procedure employing a carbon dioxide laser for treating actinic cheilitis is described. Eight patients having biopsy-proven actinic cheilitis and one patient having clinically evident actinic cheilitis but biopsy-proven superficial basal cell carcinoma were treated by vermilion ablation using the carbon dioxide laser. After an average follow-up period of 34 months (27 to 38 months), no patient has had a recurrence of cheilitis. Normal contour of the treated lip has been preserved in all patients, while none has had significant post-treatment scarring.

Thirteen patients underwent blepharoplasty in a paired comparison study. A carbon dioxide laser was employed for one side while standard cold steel surgery and electrocautery was used on the contralateral side. In addition to reduced intraoperative time and bleeding, we found less postoperative ecchymosis and edema on the laser-treated side. Long-term follow-up showed no difference between the two sides when cosmetic end result and scars were compared.-Some women go to great efforts applying makeup to their eyelids only to have this beauty enhancement hidden from the world by skin and fat which hang down to, or even onto, the eyelashes. Prominent wrinkles, excessive and redundant skin, and bulging pouches of fat detract from the beauty of the eyes and contribute to an aging appearance of the face. Today, blepharoplasty is one of the most common cosmetic surgical procedures performed in the United States. We will describe a new procedure for blepharoplasty employing the carbon dioxide laser which has important advantages over the more standard and traditional methods.

The authors are optimistic that the ultrapulse laser will become an important tool in hair transplanting.

Erythema after laser skin resurfacing is seen by many as a necessary evil in order to get good results from the procedure. A critical review of widely accepted concepts may lead to diminishing the length of postoperative erythema in patients undergoing laser resurfacing. The authors report on two previously unrecognized factors in the causation of this problem.