What is the Cure Rate of Cafe Au Lait Spot?

Question

I have a cafe au lait spot on my face. I have treated it with laser for 3 time every three months. It is now two months away from my last treatment and it is lighter than before. I want to ask whether I should do laser again and which kind of laser is best for brown birthmark. Can you recommend some good doctors in Los Angeles?

Harold J. Kaplan, MD · Answer

Hi Xu.  Cafe-au-lait bithmarks typically respond better than any other types of birthmark.  They are fairly straightforward to treat with q-switched lasers.  With that said, we would never tell a patient that we provide a "cure" because some birthmarks can regenerate even after they have been removed with lasers.  We also usually set the expectation that 3-5 treatments are required.  

	You can check out the link below that shows pictures of our results to get an idea for what the expectations would be.

Davin Lim, MBBS, FACD - Account Suspended · Answer

It really depends on luck. That s the bottom line. No one can predict which CALM or cafe au lait spot will respond to laser, nor the long term clearance of these lesions. I tell my patients that approximately 50% will recur. Hope that helps, regardsDr Davin LimDermatologist, Cosmetic and Laser Brisbane, AUSTRALIAThe video below show a successful treatment with laser on a CALM on the face.

What is the Cure Rate of Cafe Au Lait Spot?

Answers (2)