Treatment of reticulated acropigmentation of Kitamura with Q-switched alexandrite laser.

BACKGROUND

Reticulated acropigmentation of Kitamura (RAPK) is a pigmentary disorder of autosomal dominant inheritance, occurring predominantly within the Japanese population, for which no successful treatment has been described.

OBJECTIVE

The objective was to describe a 23-year-old Saudi woman with reticulated acropigmentation of Kitamura (RAPK), who was successfully treated with a 75-nm Q-switched alexandrite laser.

METHOD: To report a 23-year-old Saudi woman with reticulated acropigmentation of kitamura (RAPK) who was treated with two sessions of the Q-switched alexandrite laser, six weeks apart with no recurrence after two years.

RESULTS

Cutaneous pigmentation of reticulated acropigmentation of kitamura (RAPK) almost resolved completely in two laser sessions. Side effects were limited to transient post inflammatory hypopigmentation.

CONCLUSION

Cutaneous pigmentation of reticulated acropigmentation of kitamura (RAPK) can be effectively treated by Q-switched alexandrite (755-nm) laser, which shows a promising result, and it can be considered as treatment option, although further studies are required to confirm the effectiveness of this treatment modality with other Q-switched laser; e.g. Q-switched ND:YAG or Q-switch Ruby.