Fractional laser resurfacing: description of the procedure.

All women dream of preserving their beauty and youth for as long as possible, resorting to various methods. Modern medicine does not stand still and is actively developing in the field of cosmetology, offering all kinds of procedures and operations for rejuvenation.

The techniques that allow hiding the obvious signs of aging without the need for surgery and beauty injections are well known and in demand. Fractional laser resurfacing in the modern world is considered one of the most effective methods for treating age-related skin changes.

Fractional laser: what is it

When the laser is pointed at the skin, a burn appears, which is deeper. Regenerative processes are activated, which contributes to the achievement of the desired result. The procedure is also known as laser resurfacing.

In the fractional technique, the beam is divided into several microbeams. The effect on the skin will be in the form of mesh. After such exposure, burns look like a large accumulation of microdots between unaffected skin.

Important! This greatly reduces damage to the skin, promoting its rapid healing.

The skin cells that are not affected are actively dividing after laser treatment. In parallel, collagen and elastin are produced, which ensure youthful skin.

What is fractional photothermolysis and how does it work?

Fractional photothermolysisis ​​a process of destruction of focal tissue by heating them with light energy (laser).

The effect is due to two phenomena:

• First, the old tissue is physically destroyed and removed, in the place of which a new one grows, free of defects;
• Second, due to heating, the skin cells are activated, a phenomenon of the so-called "heat shock" occurs, when the cells begin to function as young ones, actively rebuilding the collagen-elastin structure of theskin.

Ultimately, the skin is not only tightened and freed from age spots, but also smoothed: scars and wrinkles are smoothed, stretch marks disappear, pore size decreases, becomesdenser and more elastic.

The visible effect is already noticeable after ONE procedure, and after several procedures, a pronounced rejuvenating result is observed. Also, there is a good lifting effect for several months after the procedure.

Procedure types

There are two types.

1. Ablative. Exposure to the laser leads to dehydration of the tissues, as a result of which an open micro-wound appears, and the injured cells are around it. During the recovery process, there is a noticeable lifting effect, but there is a risk of infection.
2. Non-ablative. With such radiation, the skin remains intact, the water in the tissues does not evaporate, and microscopic wounds do not appear. The process of appearance and healing of burns occurs under the epidermis, which eliminates the risk of infection, however, the result of such rejuvenation will be less noticeable.

Important! A specialist selects one or another technique, taking into account the individual characteristics of the patient's skin.

Applied Devices

The consequences depend not only on the skill of the doctor, but also on the type of hardware that the salon or clinic provided. In most cases, this is a European manufacturing technique. The sale is made in special stores or on the official websites of the manufacturers. For single use, it can be rented.

Only professional equipment is used, it is quite expensive. They aredifferent types: both ablative and non-ablative (the work surface is pressed against the skin or held at a distance).

Problems that can be eliminated in this way

Post-acne. These scars are a very common problem that causes physical and emotional distress. The procedure can reduce the appearance of acne scars. Depending on the type of scar, various methods of skin rejuvenation are used.

Wrinkles around the eyes. Expression lines, dark circles under the eyes are considered the main indication. It will not be possible to remove all wrinkles in one procedure, but their depth will decrease and they will be less visible. To get a noticeable result, you will need 4 to 5 procedures.

Important! Dysport injections will help to deal with mimic wrinkles, which can also reduce the likelihood of new wrinkles appearing in the future.

Wrinkles around the mouth. Considered the most serious type of wrinkle. To get rid of them, continuous laser grinding is applied. This method helps to reduce the duration of the rehabilitation period, but requires more sessions (4-5).

Important! To achieve maximum results in a short time, you can combine the procedure with the introduction of fillers.

What is the advantage of fractional photothermolysis over radio waves and photolifting?

Fractional photothermolysis, unlike laser resurfacing, removes the epidermis not immediately on the entire surface of the skin, but "fractionally", in uniform micro-areas, each fraction of a millimeter in size. At the same time, since there is no extensive wound surface and intact skin remains between the micro-areas, healing occurs quickly and without negative consequences. The widely publicized radio wave and photo lift relies on heating collagen fibers without stripping the epidermis.

Merits

The main characteristic that distinguishes them from other procedures is the ideal relationship between efficiency and safety.

Key benefits:

• the ability to influence any part of the body;
• extensive list of indications;
The
• laser affects approximately 20% of the damaged skin area;
• speed of recovery (3-6 days);
• accessibility of the procedure for dark-skinned patients;
• long-lasting effect (more than 1 year).

Important! The only drawback is insufficient disclosure of all the features of fractional laser resurfacing, as the technology is relatively new.

Indications for use:

• wrinkles;
• insufficient skin elasticity;
• pigmentation;
• scars;
• enlarged pores;
• stretch marks.

Readings

Anyone who wants to rejuvenate without serious braces can use this method.

Fractional laser treatment fights many blemishes on the face, including:

• severe wrinkles on the forehead;
• nasolabial folds;
• string of crow's feet around eyes;
• epidermis, "flowing down";
• skin pigmentation, scars, scars, spider veins;
• large pore problem, acne.

Laser therapy has been shown to be very effective in eliminating all of these problems.

The only caveat is that depending on the severity of the blemish, multiple procedures may be required.

What is the facial electroporation method and expert comments on the effectiveness of the procedure? Read here the details about the yellow peel: what it is and for what purpose it is done.

Procedure

Before the procedure, the cosmetologist may prescribe anti-infective and antibacterial drugs for several days for prophylaxis.

Important! On the day of the procedure, it is worth completely abandoning physical stress, drinking alcoholic beverages and smoking.

Before fractional rejuvenation, the skin must be thoroughly cleansed and treated with special anesthetic agents. Sometimes this is not necessary.

Exposure to the laser may cause a slight tingling sensation. The duration of the procedure varies from 10 to 60 minutes. The number of sessions required is assigned to each patient individually. At the end of the exposure, a soothing cream should be applied.

In the future, the skin needs special care.

1. Apply a moisturizer to the skin a few times a day for 10 to 14 days.
2. Protects the skin from UV rays for 2-3 months.
3. Don't use scrubs for 2-3 weeks.
4. Give up cosmetics containing retinol and salicylic acid for 2 weeks.
5. During the recovery period, try to give up or limit yourself to bad habits.

Pay attention!Typically, recovery takes 3 to 7 days.

Reviews and results

According to reviews from most patients, non-ablative laser resurfacing is actually very easy to tolerate and offers excellent results. After 3-6 sessions, which take place every 2-4 weeks, you can look younger in 5-10 years, without taking long breaks at work and without serious inconvenience in the recovery period.

The technology allows to preserve the upper layer of the epidermis as much as possible.The protective properties of the skin are partially preserved and you can safely go out for 2-3 days, without forgetting the protection against ultraviolet radiation. She successfully copes with most of the first signs of aging. But to permanently eliminate mimic wrinkles in the frontal area and nasolabial folds, it is advisable, once the rejuvenation course is finished, to introduce Botox, which will not allow the muscles to contract and create new folds in the skin. The lifting effect with proper facial care lasts up to 3-5 years.

Skin changes

After the procedure, redness, swelling and discomfort may appear for 2 days. If this condition is difficult to tolerate, pain relievers can be used to cool the affected skin area.

Over time, the skin may appear slightly tanned.

Important! Do nothing - normal skin color will return on its own after a couple of weeks. For a week, the skin will dry out and flake off.

Possible unpleasant consequences

Don't worry if after the first procedure your skin turns red and "burns". This does not indicate the incorrectness of the procedure, but is considered a natural response of the body. After 2-3 hours, swelling may also appear in the nose and eye area.

Important! To get rid of it faster, you need to take care of the rapid removal of fluids from the body (eat less salty and spicy foods, take a diuretic).

The next morning, many are horrified to see the blood on his skin. It can harden and become a scab. This is also considered a natural reaction. This type of procedure involves removing the top protective layer of the skin; a new one appears under the scab. Therefore, it is strictly forbidden to touch with your hands and try to tear off the scab, otherwise there is a risk of infection, scars may appear on the face. The scab will peel off on its own as soon as the tissue heals. This can be observed after 5-7 days, so please be patient. After another month, the skin of the face will have a pink tint and will also be receptive to light; you will need to stock up on protective creams.

Post-procedure adverse reactions are no exception. A rash, mild scabies, and a different skin color may appear on certain areas of the face. In time, this will pass, but the sensations are quite unpleasant. High risk of side effects in patients with excessive skin sensitivity.

Care after fractional thermolysis is prescribed by the cosmetologist individually, but there are general recommendations. You should wash your face only with clean and slightly warm water (in no case hot). During the recovery period, forget about peeling and exfoliating. You can not stay in the sun for 7-10 days, after which it is worth using special creams. It is important to pay attention to adequate sleep, nutrition, and rest. Following all the instructions, after 2 weeks you can forget about the uncomfortable sensations.

Contraindications

To avoid unpleasant consequences, you need to make sure that there are no contraindications.

Absolute contraindications include:

• pregnancy and lactation;
• tendency to leave scars;
• chronic infectious diseases;
• oncology;
• serious problems with the immune system;
• exacerbation of psoriasis.

Among the relative ones are:

• high blood sugar level;
• kidney disease;
• mental health problems;
• unwillingness to follow the recommendations of a specialist;
• recent tan.

Important!The procedure can only be entrusted to estheticians with experience and skills.

Preparation and execution

It is extremely important to find a highly qualified specialist to perform the procedure using non-ablative technology. Due to the delicate effect on the skin, there is simply no universal technique that will suit everyone. And we have to select an individual program for each patient, taking into account the age and condition of the skin.

Before the session

The preparatory phase can be very short. With the non-ablative method, there is no need to wait until the tan is gone. It also allows you to work on skin with small pimples, not purulent or acne (your condition improves noticeably after the procedure). The most important thing is to make sure that there are no contraindications.

A few days before the first session, it is very important to avoid severe skin damage or irritation in problem areas. Therefore, it is better to give up alcohol-containing cosmetics and not peel them off.

You should also stop taking blood thinners, tetracycline antibiotics, and retinol. On the day of the session, it is better not to apply any cream on the face.

Technique

The procedure is quite comfortable and takes from 10 minutes to half an hour. The patient does not experience severe pain, so the use of local anesthesia is generally not required. But for people with a high sensitivity threshold, it is allowed.

The procedure execution diagram looks like this:

• the patient is comfortably positioned on the sofa;
• hair must be tucked under a disposable hat;
• the face is thoroughly cleansed of the remains of cosmetics;
• a conductive cooling gel is applied to problem areas;
• the head of the appliance moves slowly over the skin;
• when the button is pressed, a laser beam is generated;
• after full surface treatment, apply a mask with panthenol.

Within 15-20 minutes after the end of the session, you can safely return home.

Rehabilitation period

After laser treatment of the skin, a light scab forms. The moment of its disappearance depends on the characteristics of the recovery process of a particular type of skin. It also affects the rehabilitation period. Its duration is 2 to 4 weeks. In this case, it is not necessary for the patient to be constantly monitored by specialists, however, it is worth unswervingly to follow all the prescribed recommendations for a month, namely:

• give up physical activity;
• do not go to the solarium, baths, saunas;
• gives up decorative cosmetics for a while;
• protect yourself from any mechanical stress.

Important! To achieve the desired result and maintain it for a long time, it is worth visiting a beautician periodically. It won't hurt to undergo a full course of procedures consisting of 4-5 sessions.

Method action

The laser beam penetrates the depth of the skin from a few microns to 3-4 mm. At the same time, its surface layer is not completely destroyed, although the natural protection is significantly weakened. As a result of such exposure, one gets:

• reduction of the depth of mimic wrinkles;
• almost complete removal of small ones;
• noticeable tightening of the skin;
• restoring the sharpness of the facial oval;
• fender and chin reduction;
• surface pigmentation removal;
• smoothing of the skin relief;
• spider and mesh removal;
• narrowing of enlarged pores;
• increased skin tone;
• improvement and alignment of the complexion.

Visually, after non-ablative rejuvenation, patients begin to look fresher. And after a competently performed course of treatment of the face, you can "erase" from 5 to 10 years. At the same time, there are no wrinkles, scars and other traces like from surgical operations.

Procedure duration

Duration is determined by the size of the area that will be affected by the laser. The chin will take about 15 minutes and the whole face will not take more than 80 minutes. If only laser cleaning or rejuvenation of the top layer of skin is required, it will take much less time compared to correcting deeper layers.

Fractional CO2 laser

Fractional ray rejuvenation involves the use of precise techniques on the epidermis to correct age-related skin problems. The principle is the basis of most modern cosmetology devices. The fractional CO2 laser is popular and is considered the most innovative development.

Important! The procedure is abbreviated as "fraxel".

Principle of action of fractionated CO2 lasers

The basis of the laser operation is the mechanism of a point effect, only the upper layers of the skin are heated and between the "damaged" points, areas of the skin remain unharmed. Rejuvenation with the help of such a laser is in many ways superior to outdated methods, when the entire surface of the skin was injured and the probability of infection, burns and other adverse reactions was several times higher.

The effectiveness of the technique is explained by the formation of microthermal areas in the tissues, which are the epicenter of active cell regeneration processes. Regeneration not only extends to these areas, it also affects healthy tissues.

Important! After fractional rejuvenation, the skin regenerates much faster than the effect on the entire skin of the face and the effect lasts for several years.

Fractional lasers are a relatively new development that already has specific stages of development.

Stage 1.Creation of an erbium laser, which is used in non-ablative form of fractional laser resurfacing. The superficial layer of the skin is not affected during its application, the effect occurs only in the deep layers. The procedure has received many positive reviews from cosmetologists and patients.

Important! After a while, some deficiencies in the device were discovered, so they had to start improving it.

Stage 2The advent of the fractional CO2 laser. It differs from erbium in that it works with gas mixtures. During the operation of the device, microthermal columns appear, affecting absolutely all layers of the skin. Around it, the process of cell division begins, new ones appear. The advantages of this technology lie in the possibility of influencing even the most complex scars. Also, with this method, you can cope with deep folds and porosity of the skin. Lasers also help achieve a more noticeable result of skin rejuvenation, which is the main goal of this type of procedure. The device will take care of deep wrinkles, scars and pronounced skin defects without any problem. The laser rays are quickly absorbed by the water, which evaporates immediately.

Important! The device allows to influence even areas such as the décolleté, eyelids and neck.

These days, most of the anti-aging drug makers are developing similar lasers. By the way, each patient can buy one or another type of device himself. When buying a device with a fractional laser, it is important to pay attention to its technical description and properties: energy density, size of the microthermal area, etc.

The fractional CO2 laser is distinguished by its ease of use due to simple control, the ability to choose different geometric shapes and sizes of the illuminated area.

Important! Those who plan to buy such a device for rejuvenation should make sure of the reliability of the manufacturer and suppliers, since lasers are quite complex from a technological point of view.