Visible and Quantifiable Improvement in Skin Roughness and Texture Using a High Power Non-ablative 1540-nm Fractional Erbium: Glass Laser.

Background: Non-ablative fractional laser treatments for improving skin tone and rejuvenation have become increasingly popular due to short downtime and fewer side effects compared to ablative treatments. Objective: We sought to determine the efficacy of a non-ablative 1540-nm fractional erbium: glass laser in improving skin roughness and skin texture. Methods: The forehead, cheek, and nasal areas of 15 patients were treated for five monthly sessions using a 7x7 pixel tip (1.21cm2 affective area, approximately 300 microns diameter per pixel), fluence of 2,500 to 3,000 mJ/pulse (40-62 mJ/Pixel), and three stacked pulses were emitted at a rate of 1Hz for three passes per treatment session. Measurements of skin roughness, skin roughness area, and maximum skin depth were collected using a 3D imaging system. Improvement in skin parameters was calculated by comparing the measurements prior to treatment and 12 weeks after completion. Results: All 15 patients showed significant improvement in all three measured parameters (p<0.001) with no significant side effects. Limitations: The limitations of this study include the small number of patients and the narrow range of skin tone (Fitzpatrick Skin Types II-IV). Conclusion: Our results suggest that monthly treatments with a non-ablative 1540-nm fractional Erbium:glass laser appear to be safe and effective for skin texture and roughness.

Non-ablative laser treatment improves lip volume, texture, and color.

Lips undergo several changes with age, decreased volume, elasticity, turgor, and collagen content. Q-switched Nd:YAG laser are known to increase the production of procollagen and elastin and can promote the generation of collagen, which visibly improves facial imperfections. We aimed to determine the efficacy of a 1064 nm Q-switched Nd:YAG fractional laser on improving lip definition, color, and volume. 32 female patients were treated every 2-3 weeks for a total of 3-5 treatments. Improvement was measured in a follow-up visit a month after the final treatment (29.9 ± 1.4 days) by patients' self-satisfaction questionnaire and physicians blinded evaluations (Likert scale). Patients achieved meaningful aesthetic improvement in in lip color (94% of patients), volume (72%), texture (91%), and overall lip appearance (82%). Furthermore, 91% were satisfied with treatment results and 100% from the overall experience. There were no associated side effects, and the associated pain level (on a 0-10 scale) was rated as 0 in 84% of individuals and 16% as 1. Therefore, laser treatment using a 1064 nm Q-switched Nd:YAG fractional laser on lips is a safe, noninvasive treatment that increases the color and volume of lips, with results that are maintained for at least one month following treatments.