Journal of Skin and Stem Cell

In Collaboration with Skin and Stem Cell Research Center, TUMS

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A quarterly journal compiled by Skin and Stem Cell Research Center, Tehran. University of Medical Sciences, Tehran

Journal of Skin and Stem Cell is an online, peer-reviewed, scientific journal aimed at publishing clinical and experimental research on all aspects of skin disease and cosmetic interventions as well as cutaneous biology within the following categories: experimental research and original articles, review articles, case reports, and items of correspondence.

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Now showing 1 - 20 of 259
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    An Update on the Etiopathogenesis and Management of Morbihan Disease: A Narrative Review
    (Brieflands, 2024-06-30) Mohammed Abu El-Hamd; Soha Aboeldahab
    Morbihan disease (MD) is a rare and infrequent condition primarily affecting adults of both sexes in their third and fourth decades of life. Patients with MD typically present with asymptomatic, recurrent bilateral symmetrical pitting edema, which has an insidious onset and a progressive course. This edema affects the upper two-thirds of the face, including the forehead, glabella, periorbital area, cheeks, and nose, with or without erythema. Over time, it evolves into persistent solid, non-pitting, asymptomatic edema that is neither painful nor pruritic. Morbihan disease may cause facial contour deformity and sometimes narrowing of the visual field. The etiopathogenesis of MD remains unknown, and currently, there is no specific treatment for the condition. This review article provides an update on MD, aiming to increase awareness and knowledge about its etiopathogenesis and management.
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    Signaling Molecules as Promising Drug Targets for the Treatment of Psoriasis
    (Brieflands, 2015-09-01) Zohreh Jadali
    This article does not have an abstract.
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    General Health Status of Patients with Pemphigus Vulgaris
    (Brieflands, 2021-03-31) Narges Alizadeh; Abbas Darjani; Atefe Ghanbari; Afsane Hadipour
    Background: Pemphigus vulgaris is a severe autoimmune disease that involves skin and mucosal membranes by blistering lesions of varying sizes. Pemphigus is often associated with psychological stress. Objectives: This study aimed to show the status of general health in patients suffering from this disease. Methods: A descriptive study was conducted on 35 new cases of pemphigus vulgaris that were referred to the tertiary level hospital from March 2017 to March 2018. Personal and clinical data were gathered by interviewing. Assessment of severity of the disease was done by the Ikeda index, and GHQ-28 questionnaires were used to measure their general health status. Results: A total of 35 new cases of non-treated pemphigus vulgaris (16 females and 19 males; mean age of 48.3 years, range 25 - 84 years) participated in this study. Median severity score of pemphigus was 4.1. Moreover, GHQ-28 positivity was detected in 65.7%o the patients. Social dysfunction and anxiety/insomnia had higher scores in subscales. There was a reverse relationship between disease severity and GHQ-28 values (P < 0.05). Conclusions: Pemphigus may negatively affect the general health of patients, and this issue should be considered in the treatment of this disease.
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    Plantar Papules and Plaques: A Dermoscopic-Histopathological Correlation
    (Brieflands, 2021-03-31) Balachandra Suryakant Ankad; Varsha R Koti; Balkrishna P Nikam; Manjula Rangappa
    Background: Painful lesions affecting the plantar aspect of the foot are routinely encountered in daily practice, and plantar wart, corn, and callus are the most common conditions. Although the clinical examination is sufficient to clinch an accurate diagnosis, atypical presentations indicate the need for invasive investigations like skin biopsy. Here we evaluated dermoscopic patterns of painful lesions affecting the plantar surface. Objectives: The current study aimed to, firstly, investigate the dermoscopic patterns and differentiate between painful papules and plaques on the foot, and, secondly, to analyze the histopathological correlation of these dermoscopic patterns. Methods: Following a cross-sectional design, the current study was carried out on patients with the clinical diagnosis of painful lesions of foot suggestive of plantar wart, corn, and callus referring to a tertiary care center from June 2019 to Jan 2020. Dermoscopy analysis and biopsy were performed for all participants. Results: Among 92 patients with painful plantar lesions, 56, 22, and 15 had a plantar wart, corn, and callus, respectively. Dermoscopy of warts revealed red dots (89.28%) and yellow halo (82.14%). A translucent central core (100%) and whitish ring (81.81%) on dermoscopy of patients with corn. Dermoscopy of callus demonstrated opaque yellow area in all (100%) the patients. Dermatoglyphics were absent in plantar wart in contrast to corn and callus, wherein they were preserved. Conclusions: Dermoscopy can be considered as a rapid, non-invasive, diagnostic tool in the daily practice of a dermatologist. Here, it assisted in distinguishing clinically akin painful plantar papules and plaques. These dermoscopic patterns also were well correlated histopathologically.
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    Elastin Peptides with Ferrous Ferric Chloride Activate Human Melanocytes and Elastin Fibers
    (Brieflands, 2022-06-30) Tomohisa Hirobe; Hisao Enami
    Background: Elastin peptides stimulate the development of mouse melanocytes in neural crest culture. Ferrous ferric chloride (FFC) promotes mammalian melanocyte growth in culture. However, it is unclear whether elastin peptides in the presence of FFC can stimulate human melanocyte growth in situ. Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the mechanism of human melanocyte growth for skin and stem cell science since melanocytes control human skin color. Methods: In this clinical trial study, a lotion containing elastin peptides and/or FFC was applied to the normal skin of 6 volunteers twice a day for 1 to 3 months. Punch biopsies were taken from treated skin and surveyed by histochemical methods using the dopa reaction (detect melanocytes) and dopa-premelanin reaction (detect melanocytes and melanoblasts). Elastin fibers were detected by Victoria blue staining. Results: Only the combined treatment of elastin peptides and FFC increased melanocyte populations in addition to dopa reactivity, melanogenesis, dendritogenesis, and epidermal melanin pigmentation. Mitotic divisions of melanocytes were also observed. However, the melanoblast population failed to increase, and no mitotic melanoblasts were observed. In the dermis, elastin fibers became thicker and denser after the treatment. The data of statistical analyses were performed by tabulation, mean, and SD on Microsoft Excel for Macintosh OS Catalina 10 system. Conclusions: Our present study suggests that elastin peptides with FFC can promote melanocyte growth, melanin synthesis, skin pigmentation, and elastin fiber formation. Our study can be expected to contribute to advancing skin and stem cell science.
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    Eyelid Tumors at Razi and Farabi Hospitals, Tehran, Iran
    (Brieflands, 2024-03-31) Kambiz Kamyab; Behnaz Sabaghi; Fahimeh Asadi-Amoli; Behnoosh Sabaghi; Alireza Ghanadan; Vahideh Sadat Azhari; Sahar Montazeri; Fatemeh Hosseini
    Background: Eyelid tumors are common in the daily practice of skin tumors and are composed of benign and malignant lesions. Methods: This retrospective case series study collected histopathologic reports of eyelid tumors of patients treated between 2022 and 2023 in Razi and Farabi hospitals (Tehran, Iran). Patient data, including patient age, sex, location of the lesion, and recurrence, were collected. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to characterize the subgroups. Results: The sample was composed of 154 eyelid tumor specimens, including 72 (47%) malignant cases, 80 (52%) benign cases, and 2 (1%) premalignant cases. Malignant tumors included 81.9% basal cell carcinomas (BCC), 15.3% basosquamous cell carcinomas (BSC), and 1.4% squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). The benign eyelid lesions were comprised of 20% intradermal melanocytic nevus, 11.3% epidermal cyst, 7.6% dermoid cyst, 10% seborrheic keratosis, 6.3% xanthelasma, 2.5% wart, 3.8% compound nevus, 5% fibroconnective tissue, 3.8% squamous papilloma, 3.8% neurofibroma, 2.5% comedone,2.5% apocrine hidrocystoma, 2.5% foreign body type granuloma, and 1.3% of others (arteriovenous hemangioma, cavernous hemangioma, cutaneous horn, etc.) The premalignant lesions were 2 cases of actinic keratosis. Benign lesions had an equal frequency of occurrence in the upper and lower lids. Malignant lesions were seen more in the lower lid. Premalignant lesions were seen in the lower lid. The mean age at diagnosis was 45.8 ± 23.06 years for patients with benign lesions and 63.5 ± 16.7 years for patients with malignant lesions. The mean age for patients with premalignant lesions was 81.5 ± 9.19 years (P < 0.001). Conclusions: In our study, benign lesions were seen predominantly in young persons and malignant lesions were mostly seen in elderly persons. There is an equal occurrence of malignant lesions in males and females, and recurrence after excision was infrequent.
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    Skin Stem Cells in Iran
    (Brieflands, 2022-06-30) Mohammad Ali Nilforoushzadeh; Mohammad Amir Amirkhani; Farnoosh Seirafianpour; Farzaneh Mashayekhi; Pardis Hejazi; Azadeh Goodarzi
    This article does not have an abstract.
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    Cephalosporin-Induced Atypical DRESS Syndrome; a Tale of Two Cases
    (Brieflands, 2021-03-31) Ravindranath Brahmadeo Chavan; Vasudha Abhijit Belgaumkar; Nitika S. Deshmukh; Amruta Patil; Vijay Deepak Joshi
    Introduction: Drug reaction with eosinophilia and systemic symptoms (DRESS) syndrome is a rare, idiosyncratic subset of drug-induced hypersensitivity syndrome manifesting as skin eruption, fever, lymphadenopathy, hematologic abnormalities, and multi-organ involvement. It presents usually after a latent period of 2 to 6 weeks as a diffuse erythematous rash with systemic symptoms and facial edema. It is now recognized as one of the severe cutaneous adverse reactions (SCAR) associated with high mortality, chiefly because of derangement of renal or liver functions. The cutaneous morphologies can be myriad, encompassing maculopapular, exfoliative dermatitis-like, pustular, erythema multiforme-like, Stevens-Johnson syndrome-like, and toxic epidermal necrolysis-like presentations. Case Presentation: We hereby report two young males who developed pruritic exfoliating erythematous rash after taking cephalosporin with paradoxical worsening despite drug withdrawal. They were diagnosed with ‘atypical DRESS syndrome’ according to the Japanese study group severe cutaneous adverse reactions (J-SCAR) criteria and treated successfully with systemic steroids and emollients. The J-SCAR scoring and the concept of atypical DRESS are useful in situations, where either all clinical and laboratory criteria are not present simultaneously, or typical clinical presentations wherein human herpes virus-6 (HHV-6) reactivation cannot be documented. Conclusions: These two cases were used to illustrate the hitherto obscure concept of atypical DRESS syndrome that presented with compatible clinical features but did not satisfy all the requisite criteria. We also highlight cephalosporins (one of the most commonly prescribed standard group of drugs) as a plausible but infrequently reported cause of this severe adverse cutaneous drug reaction.
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    Periosteum as Barrier Membrane: A Case Report
    (Brieflands, 2022-03-31) Shruti Bhatnagar; Avinash Chandra
    Introduction: The quest for finding a regenerative material for periodontal defects is everlasting. Numerous resorbable, nonresorbable, synthetic, and autogenous materials have been tried and tested in this regard. The periosteum has gained popularity in this field as it has exhibited osteogenic properties. The harvest of the periosteum is hassle-free and does not cause additional surgical sites. Case Presentation: The present case report demonstrates the successful use of the periosteum as a barrier membrane in the treatment of an intrabony defect. A 25-year-old female patient reported a complaint of food lodgement and bleeding gums. Clinical and radiographic examinations suggested an intrabony defect concerning the maxillary molar. The periosteum pedicle as a barrier membrane, along with bone graft, was used to treat the defect. Conclusions: The outcome was favorable in defect filling and soft tissue thickness.
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    Impact of Leprosy on the Quality of Life in India: A Decade Post-elimination
    (Brieflands, 2021-09-30) Vasudha Abhijit Belgaumkar; Bitukaur Sodhi; Pallavi Prataprao Patil; Neelam Bhatt
    Background: India contributes to approximately 60% of the global leprosy burden despite declaring elimination in 2005. Leprosy is associated with typical deformities and disabilities, imposing a huge burden on the society’s mental health and economy. More than three million people in India are estimated to suffer from leprosy-related disabilities with the potential for profound social stigma and discrimination. Objectives: This study attempts to document the socio-demographic profile of leprosy patients visiting a public tertiary hospital in Pune to analyze the impact on different domains of the individual’s health and determine the contributory factors thereof. Methods: A cross-sectional, observational study was conducted among 60 patients with leprosy using the WHOQoL-Bref and Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI). Medical records of the patients were also scrutinized. Results: Most patients (40%) were aged between 31 - 40 years with an equal gender distribution, and 63% belonged to MKS Class 4. According to the WHO QoL Bref, 56.66% of the patients had an overall mean score of less than 50, indicating a poor quality of life with the psychological domain being the most-affected, while the DLQI demonstrated that leprosy had a “very large effect” on the quality of life. The determinants that contributed to deteriorated quality of life were female gender, low socioeconomic status, delayed diagnosis and treatment initiation, multibacillary forms, reactional episodes (particularly Type 2), disability grade (visible impairment), and self- perceived stigma. Conclusions: Leprosy continues to adversely affect the quality of life even a decade after its official elimination. There was good an overall concordance between the WHO QOL-Bref and DLQI questionnaires.
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    Becker’s Nevus with Lichen Simplex Chronicus Limited to the Nevus Lesion: A Case Report
    (Brieflands, 2019-06-30) Samer Mriani; Bandar Tammar; Hasan Maghrabi; Khalid Al Aboud; Waleed Yamani; Zaher Al Asmary; Hamdan Al Osaimi; Hasan Al Qurashi; Adnan Al Ehibi; Faisal Alfeliet; Awatif Al Subyani; Hanan Barnawi; Ahlam Al Hakami; Saleh Al Muntashiri
    Becker’s nevus is an uncommon hamartomatous skin lesion. Many dermatoses and, rarely, abnormal systemic findings have been reported in association with Becker’s nevus. The occurrence of lichen simplex chronicus (LSC) is rare in Becker’s nevus. In this case report, we share our observation of a 23-year-old Bengali male with LSC in association with Becker’s nevus.
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    COVID-19 Pandemic: The Associated Skin Conditions
    (Brieflands, 2020-11-21) Faisal Muhammad
    This article does not have an abstract.
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    Melasma: Update on Epidemiology, Clinical Presentation, Assessment, and Scoring
    (Brieflands, 2021-12-31) Imran Majid; Samia Aleem
    Melasma is a common dermatosis, presenting as ill-defined light to dark brown pigmentation of photo-exposed areas, most commonly the face. Its exact prevalence is unknown, but it is commoner in intermediate skin phototypes and women of reproductive age. Its treatment and monitoring have significance due to its chronic recalcitrant history and psychosocial impact. Various indices and tools like the melasma area and severity Index (MASI), melasma severity index (MSI), and Melasma Quality of Life Scale (MELASQoL) have been formulated for measuring severity and treatment response. In this review, particular emphasis has been laid on melasma's epidemiological and clinical aspects and its assessment and scoring.
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    Influence of Social Media over Prevailing Skin Practices
    (Brieflands, 2024-03-31) Farheen Begum
    This article does not have an abstract.
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    A Rare Case of Focal Dermal Hypoplasia: Goltz Syndrome; Goltz Gorlin Syndrome
    (Brieflands, 2022-02-21) Malika Sharma; Asha S Khade; Umesh Bhoi; Sudarshan Gaurkar
    Focal dermal hypoplasia, popularly known as the goltz syndrome, is an extremely rare multisystem disorder mainly involving the skin, skeletal system, and eyes. Being an X-linked dominant disorder, focal dermal hypoplasia mainly affects females (95%) and is lethal in males. Few affected males who survive are mosaics. The mutation is found on the PORCN gene on the X chromosome. Only about 250 - 300 cases have been reported in the literature. It is a type of ectodermal dysplasia interrupting the development and functioning of the skin, hairs, nails, teeth, eyes, and the skeletal system. Accordingly, a wide variety of clinical manifestations are noticed, the diagnosis of which is primarily on a clinical basis. The present study reports one such case of goltz syndrome presented with a giant cell tumor of the right distal fibula, ie, a minor criterion for diagnosing goltz syndrome. Further detailed examination led to the diagnosis of goltz syndrome. We wish to highlight the importance of minor criteria and the major ones to diagnose goltz syndrome. The patient had skin lesions since birth and had no complaints associated with it. It was the pain and swelling associated with the giant cell tumor that brought the case to notice of physician.
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    Severe Itchy Extensive Psoriasis Vulgaris Provoked by Tramadol
    (Brieflands, 2021-12-31) Mohammed Abu El-Hamd; Soha Aboeldahab
    To the best of our knowledge, we are reporting the first case of psoriasis vulgaris in which the lesions became extensive with marked itching and resistance to traditional lines of treatment after the use of tramadol. Thus, tramadol may be a new drug exacerbating psoriasis vulgaris that should be avoided. Tramadol increases the severity of psoriasis vulgaris and induces marked itching in this patient.
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    Clinico-Etiological Aspects of Patients Suffering from Genital Lesions: A Cross-Sectional Study from India
    (Brieflands, 2024-03-31) Harleen Kaur; Vasudha Abhijit Belgaumkar
    Background: Genital dermatoses can interfere with sexual functioning and self-image. Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are among the top 10 diseases in India. Objectives: This study aimed to document the burden, clinico-etiological, and demographic profile of patients presenting with genital lesions, determine the proportions of the pediatric and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-seropositive patients, and identify contributory factors. Methods: This was a hospital-based cross-sectional observational study conducted at a tertiary hospital in Pune, India, in the Department of Dermatology and Pediatrics over a period of 2 months (July-August 2022). Patients presenting with genital lesions were enrolled after obtaining written informed consent. Relevant information was recorded using a predesigned proforma. Results: A total of 83 patients comprised 77 adults, 3 (3.6%) pediatric patients and adolescents each, and 15 (18.1%) HIV-seropositive individuals. The adult male-to-female ratio was 1.2: 1. The mean age of adults was 37.01 ± 14.57 years. The most common STI and non-STI lesions were herpes genitalis and tinea cruris, respectively, with a similar trend in the HIV-seropositive group. All three pediatric cases had non-STI lesions; however, 66.7% of adolescents had STIs (vulvovaginal candidiasis and genital warts). Overall, there was a slightly higher preponderance of non-STI lesions (53.75%), and the majority of patients had lesions of infectious nature (86.25%). The most common identifiable risk factor was lack of circumcision (51.25%), followed by unprotected intercourse (22.5%). The presence of risk factors was significantly associated with male gender (P = 0.0001). Conclusions: This study emphasizes that besides STIs, non-STIs contribute substantially to genital diseases.
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    Relationship Between Keloid Pathogenesis and Endothelial Progenitor Cells: A Review Study
    (Brieflands, 2021-09-30) Tsubame-Yan Nishikai-Shen; Rica Tanaka
    Context: Keloid scars are disfiguring lesions (ie, reddish-brown bulges on the skin surface) formed after a minor injury or surgical invasion. They lead to severe itching or pain, thereby causing physical and psychological distress in patients. Evidence Acquisition: Scholarly databases, including Web of Science, PubMed, and Google Scholar, were searched for relevant articles using keywords such as “keloids,” “endothelial progenitor cells” (EPCs), and “CD34-positive cells.” Results: Keloid scars are classified as an intractable disease; their cause is unknown, and there is no specific therapy. Their pathogenic effects on inflammation around wounds and fibroblasts have been extensively studied. However, details regarding their onset mechanism and definitive factors that contribute to their formation have not yet been elucidated. Adult stem cell therapy, especially regenerative therapy aimed at recovering tissue structure and function, has been extensively studied globally. In our recently published study, we identified an association between keloid scar development and EPCs. However, there is still no systematic review in this regard. Conclusions: This paper provides information on preventing keloids and further understanding the cause of this disease by reviewing previous studies on the association between keloids and EPCs.
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    Unusual Presentations of Bullous Pemphigoid in Young Patients: A Case Series
    (Brieflands, 2022-09-30) Shekhar N Pradhan; Mumyam Mitkong; Vasudha Abhijit Belgaumkar; Anil Prakash Gosavi; Neelam Bhatt
    Introduction: Bullous pemphigoid (BP) is the most common subepidermal autoimmune vesiculobullous disorder. It mainly affects the elderly, with a mean age at presentation of 69 to 83 years and an incidence of 7 to 43 per million population in European studies. Bullous pemphigoid (BP) is rarely encountered in young people, with an incidence rate of less than 0.5 cases per million population in individuals less than 50 years. Case Presentation: A 28-year-old male presented with fluid-filled lesions over his right forearm for three days. Also, an 18-year-old male presented with fluid-filled lesions over his face, hands, groin, and legs for two months. In both cases, histopathology and direct immunofluorescence confirmed BP. Conclusions: Though BP is rare in young individuals, it should be considered one of the differentials of vesiculobullous disorders. Herein, we reported two cases of BP in young people at unusual sites.
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    Analysis of Laser-Fat Interaction Through Comparing 980 nm Diode Laser With 1064 nm Nd:YAG Laser
    (Brieflands, 2014-05-25) Abbas Majdabadi; Mohammed Abazari
    Background: Liposuction nowadays is the most popular way of weight loss and body contouring. It is a mechanical procedure to reduce fat through the back-and-forth movement of a heavy metal called cannula. The thick cannula, essential for efficient fat removal and subsequent suctioning, causes some undesirable effects such as bruise, scars, heavy blood loss, skin laxity and long-run recovery. While, the new method of liposuction using a 100-300 µm fiber laser inserted into a thin cannula of 1 mm diameter causes less distress and bleeding. Simultaneous interaction between laser radiation and tissue causes faster skin tightening and coagulation of small blood vessels. Objectives: The study aimed at evaluating the effects of these highly important parameters of lipolysis operations. Materials and Methods: In this study, penetration depth and tissue heating following laser irradiation with a 980 nm diode laser were investigated. This laser is different from 1064 nm Nd:YAG in terms of absorption and scattering coefficient. Hence, dissimilar results for beam penetration and tissue heating were expected. Monte Carlo method was used to simulate radiation (photons) propagation in tissues. Using such simulation can be useful in evaluating penetration depth, absorption, scattering and reflection of the photon within the tissue and across the tissue borders. Temperature rise was simulated using Comsol Multiphysics software. Results: The simulation results showed that the penetration depth and temperature rise of 980 nm wavelengths were different from those of 1064 nm wavelength. It appeared that 1064 nm wavelength penetrated to deeper layers of tissue compared with 980 nm. Moreover, temperature rise during 1064 nm irradiation led to temperature increase in allowable ranges. The findings proved the reason why 1064 nm wavelength are commonly used in laser lipolysis in comparison with 980 nm wavelength. Conclusions: The simulation indicated that temperature rise in 980 nm wavelength was 70.802 ℃, which was higher than that of 1064 nm wavelength. Therefore, 980 nm laser can leave unwanted negative effects on tissues including hyperthermia.