Laser-Induced Koebner-Related Skin Reactions: A Clinical Overview

July 2024 in “ Medicina ”

Emmanouil Karampinis, Konstantina-Eirini Georgopoulou, George Goudouras, Vicky Lianou, Elli Kampra, Angeliki Victoria Roussaki Schulze, Efterpi Zafiriou

Koebner phenomenon laser-induced skin reactions thermal injury hair removal lasers resurfacing lasers vasculitis eruptive squamous atypia eczema melanin Koebner effect skin reactions hair removal skin resurfacing skin inflammation skin atypia skin eczema skin pigment

TLDR Lasers can trigger skin reactions, especially in darker skin, and more research is needed to improve treatments.

The article reviews laser-induced Koebner-related skin reactions, highlighting the potential for lasers, especially those used in cosmetic dermatology, to trigger new lesions at trauma sites in predisposed individuals. It identifies 9 true Koebner phenomenon (KP) cases and various other related reactions, noting that hair removal lasers are often linked with true and questionable KPs like vasculitis, while resurfacing lasers are associated with eruptive squamous atypia. Factors such as laser type, number of sessions, and skin phototype, particularly darker phototypes, influence KP occurrence. The study emphasizes the need for larger-scale research to refine treatment protocols and minimize adverse effects, as current understanding is limited by reliance on case reports.