Comparison of treatment of cherry angiomata with pulsed-dye laser, potassium titanyl phosphate laser, and electrodesiccation: a randomized controlled trial.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the comparative efficacy of energy treatments in resolving cherry angiomata.

DESIGN: Rater-blinded randomized controlled trial.

SETTING: Outpatient dermatology clinic in an urban referral academic medical center.

PARTICIPANTS: Fifteen healthy adults aged 21 to 65 years were enrolled. Two eligible individuals who were approached declined to participate, and no one enrolled was withdrawn for adverse effects.

INTERVENTIONS: For each participant, 3 areas on the torso were demarcated such that each area contained 4 cherry angiomata. Each area was then randomly assigned to receive 1 of the 3 treatments: pulsed-dye laser (PDL) (595 nm), potassium titanyl phosphate (KTP) laser (532 nm), or electrodesiccation. Two treatments spaced 2 weeks apart were delivered to each area.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Standardized photographs from before treatment and 3 months after the last treatment were evaluated for color and texture on visual analog scales.

RESULTS: Mean change in color was a significant improvement of 7.77 (P<.001), but there was no significant difference across treatment arms (P=.19). Mean change in texture was a significant improvement of 6.23 (P<.001), and the degree of textural change also differed across treatments (P<.001). In pairwise comparisons, cherry angiomata treated with electrodesiccation were significantly less improved than were those receiving KTP laser (P=.003) and those treated with PDL (P=.001). The effects of KTP laser and PDL on texture were not different (P=.50).

CONCLUSIONS: Cherry angiomata can be effectively treated with electrodesiccation and with laser. Laser, especially PDL, may minimize the likelihood of treatment-associated textural change. Trial Registration clinicaltrials.gov Identifier: NCT00509977.