Commentary: Treatment of cutaneous lupus erythematosus using the pulsed dye laser.

The exact reason for the effectiveness of pulsed light at a wavelength of 585–595 nm of PDL in the treatment of CLE lesions is unclear. With laser therapy, the applied light is monochromatic, and there is strong evidence that the induced pathogenic mechanisms are different from those caused by irradiation over an ultraviolet spectrum. The suggested working mechanism of PDL (selective photothermolysis) is selective destruction of the cutaneous microvasculature, which might modulate the inflammatory network, leading to regression of CLE lesions.