Your Complete Guide to Laser Treatment for Eczema

Living with eczema can be frustrating, especially when flare-ups seem to resist every cream and ointment. If you’re looking for new options, you may have heard about laser therapy. This guide will explain how laser treatments for eczema work, what types are available, and what you can expect from the process.

Understanding How Lasers Can Help Manage Eczema

Eczema, or atopic dermatitis, is fundamentally an inflammatory condition. Your immune system becomes overactive in certain areas of the skin, leading to the intense itching, redness, and irritation you know all too well. While topical steroids and moisturizers are the first line of defense, they don’t always provide complete relief for stubborn patches.

Laser therapy offers a different approach. Instead of applying medication to the surface, it uses focused beams of light to work beneath the skin. The primary goal is to calm the overactive immune response directly where it’s happening.

The energy from the laser targets and reduces the T-cells, a type of immune cell that plays a key role in causing eczema’s inflammation. By dialing back this localized immune activity, laser treatment can help to:

Reduce Inflammation: This is the core benefit, leading to less redness and swelling.
Calm Irritation and Itching: As inflammation subsides, the maddening itch-scratch cycle can be broken.
Promote Skin Healing: With the inflammation under control, the skin has a better chance to heal its barrier and return to a healthier state.

It’s important to think of laser therapy not as a cure, but as a powerful tool to manage localized, persistent flare-ups that haven’t responded well to other treatments.

Which Laser Options Actually Work for Eczema?

When dermatologists talk about “laser treatment” for eczema, they are usually referring to a few specific technologies that have shown the most promising results in clinical studies. Not all lasers are the same, and the right one depends on your specific symptoms.

The Excimer Laser (308-nm)

This is the most common and well-studied type of laser therapy for eczema. The Excimer laser isn’t a heat-based laser; instead, it delivers a highly concentrated, single wavelength of ultraviolet B (UVB) light directly to the affected patch of skin. This is similar to the light used in medical phototherapy booths, but far more targeted.

How it Works: The 308-nanometer wavelength is particularly effective at suppressing the T-cells that cause inflammation. Because the beam is so precise, it treats only the eczema patch, leaving the surrounding healthy skin untouched. This precision allows the dermatologist to use a higher, more effective dose of UVB light than would be possible with full-body phototherapy.
Best For: Localized, thick, and stubborn plaques of eczema on areas like the hands, feet, elbows, or knees.
Brand Names: You might hear this treatment referred to by brand names like XTRAC or Pharos.

Pulsed Dye Laser (PDL)

Pulsed Dye Lasers work differently. They are designed to target blood vessels. In active eczema flare-ups, there is increased blood flow to the area, which contributes to the redness and inflammation.

How it Works: The PDL emits a yellow light that is specifically absorbed by the hemoglobin in red blood cells. This energy gently heats and shrinks the tiny blood vessels in the inflamed skin, reducing redness and helping to calm the flare-up.
Best For: Eczema patches that are particularly red and inflamed. It can also be helpful for reducing the persistent redness that sometimes remains after a flare-up has healed.

Fractional Lasers

Fractional lasers are typically used more for the after-effects of chronic eczema rather than active flare-ups. Years of scratching can lead to thickened skin (lichenification) and changes in texture or scarring.

How it Works: These lasers create microscopic treatment zones in the skin, stimulating collagen production and encouraging the skin to remodel itself. This can improve skin texture and reduce the appearance of thickened, leathery skin over time.
Best For: Addressing textural changes or scarring after the inflammation is under control.

What to Expect: The Treatment Journey

Deciding to pursue laser therapy involves several steps. Knowing what to expect can help you feel more prepared and confident in your decision.

The Initial Consultation

Your journey will begin with a thorough consultation with a board-certified dermatologist. This is a critical step. The doctor will examine your skin, review your treatment history, and confirm that you are a good candidate. They will discuss the most appropriate type of laser for your specific condition, the expected number of sessions, potential costs, and any risks involved.

During a Treatment Session

The procedure itself is surprisingly quick and straightforward.

Preparation: You won’t need any anesthesia. You will be given protective goggles to wear.
The Treatment: The dermatologist will use a handheld device to deliver the laser energy to each patch of eczema. Most patients describe the sensation as a mild warming or, at most, like a small rubber band snapping against the skin.
Duration: Treating a few small patches might only take 5 to 10 minutes.

The Treatment Schedule

Laser therapy is not a one-and-done solution. To achieve significant and lasting improvement, you will need a series of treatments. A typical schedule involves two sessions per week for several weeks. Many patients start to see a noticeable reduction in itching and redness after just a few sessions, with more significant improvement appearing over the course of the treatment plan.

Aftercare and Side Effects

One of the major advantages of targeted laser therapy is the minimal downtime.

Immediately After: The treated skin may look slightly red or pink, similar to a mild sunburn. This usually fades within a few hours to a day.
Potential Side Effects: The most common side effects are temporary redness and a change in skin pigmentation (either lighter or darker) in the treated area. More rarely, mild blistering can occur. These effects are almost always temporary.
Sun Protection: Your dermatologist will stress the importance of protecting the treated areas from the sun, as they will be more sensitive.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is laser treatment for eczema painful? Most people do not find the treatment painful. The sensation is often described as a warm feeling or a very light snapping on the skin. It is generally much more comfortable than the constant itch of an eczema flare-up.

How many sessions will I need? This varies widely depending on the severity and stubbornness of your eczema. A typical course of treatment with an Excimer laser might involve 10 to 20 sessions, often performed twice a week.

Is laser therapy for eczema covered by insurance? In many cases, yes. Because eczema is a medical condition and treatments like the Excimer laser are FDA-approved, many insurance plans do provide coverage, especially if you have already tried and failed with topical treatments. However, you must check with your specific insurance provider for details on your coverage.

Can laser therapy be used on children? Yes, Excimer laser therapy is considered safe for children with eczema and is often a good option for managing stubborn patches without the long-term use of potent topical steroids.