Features of the fractional photothermolysis procedure

Over time, every woman is faced with the fact that her skin becomes not as elastic as before, and wrinkles gradually begin to appear. There are many cosmetic ways to get rid of or reduce such manifestations. One of them is fractional thermolysis.

This procedure is not as popular as chemical peels or mesotherapy. However, it is no less effective. After it is carried out, the cells begin to actively produce collagen and elastin, and this leads to the rejuvenation of the skin.

Action and benefits

Ablative laser skin rejuvenation techniques are primarily aimed at updating the top layer, so they involve a long recovery period. But non-ablative laser exposure is not so traumatic, but no less effective.

Fractional laser thermolysis involves the formation of point damaged areas from the laser beam. It is due to this effect that the skin begins to recover much faster, and the appearance of undesirable effects is reduced to a minimum. With the help of such manipulation, you can get rid of wrinkles, age spots, scars and acne. For 10 years of application, this technology has proven its effectiveness and safety.

This procedure has several names: fraxel, photothermolysis or nanoperforation. It was developed by scientists from the United States, and it entered mass use in 2004. The essence of this skin rejuvenation technique is that the laser beam is divided into thousands of rays (or fractions). Due to their microscopic diameters, the skin is not injured, and the beam penetrates into the deepest layers of the skin. Having penetrated deep, they evaporate old and non-functioning cells of the dermis.

During this procedure, no more than 30% of the cells are removed, so the recovery period is relatively short. The rehabilitation period can be as little as a week, while recovery after using a carbon dioxide laser can take about 2 months.

This cosmetic manipulation has a number of advantages. These include:

1. the minimum number of side effects;

2. non-invasiveness, that is, the risk of contracting viral hepatitis or HIV infection is excluded;

3. ease of implementation;

4. painlessness;

5. the ability to remove scars and other specific dermatological defects;

6. short rehabilitation period.

Indications and contraindications

This procedure can be performed on people of any gender who have already reached the age of 18. The indications for such manipulation are as follows:

1. scars

2. scarring;

3. pigmentation;

4. gaping pores;

5. wrinkles of different depths;

6. stretch marks;

7. stand up;

8. skin laxity.

This technique allows you to remove dermatological defects not only on the face, but also on other parts of the body.

Refuse the cosmetic procedure for people who have such conditions and violations:

1. pregnancy;

2. lactation period;

3. the presence of psychological disorders;

4. oncology;

5. diabetes;

6. epilepsy;

7. dermatological diseases: psoriasis, dermatosis, eczema;

8. autoimmune diseases;

9. allergy to used analgesics.

Varieties of lasers

Fractional thermolysis can be carried out using erbium and thulium generators. In the first version, yttrium is used – an aluminum garnet crystal. The length of the energy flows is 1550 nm.

The second option uses an aluminum crystal with thulium ions, with which you can create a wave of 1920 nm. Erbium rays penetrate the epidermis to a depth of 1.4 mm, while thulium rays can penetrate 2 mm.

Both lasers are highly precise; during exposure, they affect only microscopically small areas directly on which the beam is directed. In places of exposure, the cells begin to evaporate almost instantly.

The energy that is emitted by such waves is absorbed by the water that is present in the epidermis of every person. Due to this effect, overheating of neighboring tissues is excluded, so they are not injured.

Exposure modes

If the procedure is performed on the original device, then the laser depth can be adjusted depending on the mode used. In total, there are 4 main modes of exposure:

1. Fine is a gentle effect that is perfect for treating the eyelids, mammary glands and other sensitive skin areas.

2. Repair – recovery mode, has a deeper effect, thereby starting the process of regeneration of the inner layer of the skin. Often this mode is used to eliminate scars, wrinkles and spider veins.

3. Restore – a mode aimed at restoring and updating the skin. With it, you can remove shallow wrinkles, eliminate signs of aging, as well as the effects of acne.

4. Restore Dual – a feature of this mode is that during exposure to the skin, two types of laser are used simultaneously. Therefore, this mode is more secure.

To get the maximum effect, you should go through 3 to 8 procedures, the interval between them should be about 1 month. The exact number of sessions should be determined by the doctor based on the age of the patient, the initial condition of the skin and the desired result.

Methodology

Two weeks before the scheduled date of the manipulation, scrubs and peels should be abandoned. You should stop taking the following medications for a while:

1. retinol – Ratasol, Supernatural A and other anti-aging creams;
2. salicylic acid – Viprosal, Betasal and Akviderm;
3. glycolic acid – Glycolic Acid, Glyco-A and other anti-aging serums and creams.

It should be noted that such a procedure can only be carried out by a specialist cosmetologist. First, he prepares the skin for manipulation. To do this, he uses a cotton pad to apply a cream with an anesthetic effect. Often used tools such as Anestol and Emla. After their application, the specialist applies a preparation that will ensure the normal sliding of the device over the skin.

After such simple preparatory procedures, the beautician begins to treat the skin with a special nozzle. Due to the fact that an anesthesia preparation was previously applied, and a stream of cold air is directed directly to the treated area , the process becomes absolutely painless. During the procedure, the patient may feel only a slight tingling sensation. The specialist must process the skin with light movements, moving along the grid over an area of ​​up to 2 cm / sq. The session time depends on which area of ​​the skin is being treated, on average, the manipulation takes about 30 minutes.

Recovery period

Immediately even after the procedure, the beautician applies a moisturizer. In the first 5 days after the manipulation, it is forbidden to sleep on your stomach. A nourishing cream should be applied to the treated area, for example, Bepanthen and Dexpanthenol can be used.

For 2 weeks after fractional photothermolysis, it is recommended to stop taking products based on retinol, salicylic or glycolic acid. You should also try to avoid direct sunlight, during the first two weeks you should use sunscreen with SPF 30-50. The cream layer should be renewed every 2 hours. During the recovery period, you should stop smoking, as tobacco slows down the regeneration process, and also neutralizes the effect of photothermolysis.

Immediately after the manipulation, the skin may turn red, and edema may also appear. This effect lasts from 1 to 3 days. After the redness subsides, you should consult with a specialist to evaluate the first results after the procedure. Within 2-3 days, the patient may be disturbed by a burning sensation. To alleviate such unpleasant symptoms, you can do cold compresses.

Edema is a normal reaction of the skin to laser exposure. It occurs immediately after the manipulation, but it reaches its maximum size only after a day. After 2-3 days, it goes away on its own.

If you follow all the recommendations for skin care during the recovery period, then all side effects disappear after a few weeks. It should be noted that if the therapeutic course was interrupted, the effect of fractional photothermolysis persists for a period of less than 3 years.

As a result, it should be noted that fractional photothermolysis is an effective procedure that helps not only to rejuvenate the skin, but also to eliminate scars, pigmentation and stretch marks. It is much safer than the usual laser treatment. The rehabilitation period is short, and the number of side effects is minimal.