Nevus of Ota is a congenital blue or gray pigmented skin lesion that can occur on the face or in the eye. It is caused by hyperpigmentation and can lead to melanoma or glaucoma. Q-switched laser surgery is the ideal treatment with a success rate of 90%.
Nevus of Ota is a blue or gray pigmented skin lesion that occurs on the face. The condition is usually congenital, meaning it occurs before or during birth. In some cases, a nevus of Ota may appear in the eye, which usually indicates the presence of an eye disease. The condition goes by several other terms, which include congenital nevus fuscoceruleus ophthalmomaxillaris, melanosis bulbi, oculodermal melanocytosis, and oculomucodermal melanocytosis. Nevus of Ota is referred to as nevi of Ota in plural form.
MT Ota, known by his pseudonym Mokutaro Kinoshita, was a Japanese physician who first described the condition in 1939, which is why it is named after him. Nevi develop from melanocytes, which are cells in the bottom layer of the epidermis, or the outer layer of skin. Melanocytes are responsible for the production of melanin, which gives skin its color. Thus, nevus of Ota occurs when there is hyperpigmentation or abnormally increased coloration. The cause of this condition remains unknown, although it is known to occur more commonly in Japan, where 1 in 2,000 people develop it.
The nevus of Ota gradually grows in size and darker in color over time. Skin-related nevi could be a sign of melanoma, which occurs when melanocytes become malignant and cause skin cancer. Melanoma can also appear in the eye if it brings hyperpigmentation. Glaucoma, however, is most commonly associated with eye-related nevi of Ota. Damage to the optic nerve from this eye disorder can lead to blindness.
The standard and ideal treatment for nevus of Ota is Q-switch pulsed laser surgery. Also known as giant pulse formation, it involves transforming lasers into pulsed output beams that target dermal melanocytes. The widespread adoption of Q-switched laser surgery is attributed to its success rate, which is no less than 90%. It is usually given in four to eight treatments.
Q-switched laser surgery for nevus of Ota has replaced older surgical treatments such as cryotherapy, which involves applying cold to destroy tissue abnormalities, and dermabrasion, which involves wearing down skin defects with instruments and agents such as sandpaper and lasers. Some people use makeup to cover the blemish, even if it’s a simple cosmetic solution rather than a medicinal one. After dermal treatment, follow-up appointments are usually not necessary, and the prognosis is usually excellent. People with eye events, however, may want to visit their ophthalmologists regularly to make sure the condition doesn’t turn into glaucoma or melanoma.
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