Nevus of Ota also called: Congenital melanosis bulbi, nevus fuscoceruleus ophthalmomaxillaris, oculodermal melanocytosis, oculomucodermal melanocytosis.
Nevus of Ota is a blue hyperpigmentation that occurs on the face, most often appearing on the white of the eye. It also occurs on the forehead, nose, cheek, periorbital region, and temple. It was first reported by Dr. M.T. Ota of Japan in 1939.
Nevus of Ota is very common in Asian patients. The condition is more common in females. Most patients seek treatment early in life due to the psychological trauma and cosmetic disfigurement. The Q-switched lasers have changed the way we approach the condition and have become the mainstay of therapy.
Cause
Nevus of Ota is caused by the entrapment of melanocytes in the upper third of the dermis. It is found only on the face, most commonly on one side of the face, rarely on both and involves the first two branches of the trigeminal nerve. The eye is involved in two-thirds of cases (causing an increased risk of glaucoma). It should not be confused with Mongolian spot, which is a birthmark caused by entrapment of melanocytes in the dermis but is located in the lumbosacral region. Women are nearly five times more likely to be affected than men, and it is rare among Caucasian people. Nevus of Ota may not be congenital and may appear during puberty.
Skin treatment
A Q-switched 1064 nm laser has been successfully used to treat the condition. The Q-Switched Laser Revlite with its high peak power and pulse width is best suited to treat Nevus of ota. Here at The Angel Laser Clinic in Islington, London we have treated many patients with Nevus of Ota successfully, improving the quality of their lives and confidence.
The Q-switched 1064 nm Nd-YAG Revlite is an ideal choice to treat dermal pigment as in nevus of Ota and in darker skin types, as it reduces the risk of epidermal injury and pigmentary alterations. The pigment clearance may be expected to be near total. Usually a number of treatment sessions with an interval of six weeks are required to achieve near total clearance. The number of treatments depend mainly on the severity of the lesion, but it could be around 12 sessions. The darker the lesion the more are the treatments required.