It is found only on the face, most commonly unilaterally, rarely bilaterally and involves the first two branches of the trigeminal nerve.

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.

The Q-switched 1064 nm Nd-YAG 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 can be expected to be near total, using multiple treatment sessions, each separated by a minimum of six weeks.

Last but not least, the skill of the laser surgeon plays a role in achieving early and good clearance.