Treatment of Epidermal Hamartomas: Review and Description of Treatment With Electrodesiccation and Combination Laser Therapy
Congenital epidermal nevi encompass inflammatory linear verrucous epidermal nevus (ILVEN), epidermal nevus, and nevus sebaceous. These hamartomas have been treated with several different modalities and can pose a therapeutic challenge depending on the location, size, nature, and thickness of the lesion.
We review the treatment options for these lesions, which include topical therapies, systemic therapies, destructive therapies, and laser therapies. We also describe the successful use of electrodessication and the combined Erbium:YAG and CO2 lasers to treat these skin conditions. We suggest personalizing therapy for each patient depending on the area of involvement, the size of the lesions, the nature of the lesions (keratotic vs fleshy), and the thickness of the lesions.