Technical characteristics of fractional light devices.

This article deals with the technical characteristics of fractional light devices, fractional lasers, and light sources that cause their biologic effects by increasing the temperature of the target tissues to the point where the target is either killed, or in other cases where the temperature of the target tissue is increased to the point where repair and remodeling systems are turned on but tissue is not killed. Resurfacing devices act by causing ablation and/or coagulation.

YSGG 2790-nm superficial ablative and fractional ablative laser treatment.

The 2790-nm wavelength YSGG laser was introduced for aesthetic purposes under the trade name Pearl by Cutera in 2007. In clinical use, the Pearl superficial resurfacing laser has proved effective and well tolerated for the correction of superficial brown epidermal dyschromia and superficial fine lines and scars, and the Pearl Fractional laser produces excellent improvement in both dyschromia and improvement of deeper lines and moderately deep acne scarring. The two laser treatments can be combined in a single treatment session on different parts of the face or on the entire face, depending on patient needs and priorities.