Fractional laser rejuvenation: description of the procedure

All women dream of preserving their beauty and youth for as long as possible, using 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.

Techniques that allow you to hide obvious signs of aging without surgery and beauty injections are well known and in demand. Fractional laser rejuvenation in the modern world is considered to be one of the most effective methods of dealing with age-related skin changes.

Fractional laser: what it is

When the laser is aimed at the skin, a burn appears that goes deeper. Regenerative processes are activated that contribute to achieving the desired result. The procedure is also called laser resurfacing.

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

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

Skin cells that remain unaffected actively divide after laser treatment. At the same time collagen and elastin are produced, which guarantee young skin.

What is fractional photothermolysis and how does it work?

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

The effect is due to two phenomena:

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

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

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

Types of Procedures

There are two types.

1. Ablative. Exposure to the laser leads to tissue dehydration, as a result of which an open micro wound appears and 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, water from 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! One or another technique is selected by a specialist, 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 provided by the salon or clinic. In most cases, this is a European manufacturing technique. The sale is carried out in special stores or on the official websites of manufacturers. For single use it is possible to rent.

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. Such scars are a very common problem that brings physical and emotional discomfort. The procedure can reduce the appearance of acne scars. Depending on the type of scar, various methods of skin resurfacing are used.

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

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

Wrinkles around the mouth. Considered to be the most severe type of wrinkles. To eliminate them, continuous laser grinding is applied. This method helps reduce the length of the rehabilitation period, but requires more sessions (4-5).

Important! To achieve maximum results in a short time, it is possible to 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 over the entire surface of the skin, but "fractionally" - in even micro-areas, each one millimeter in size. At the same time, since there is no extended wound surface and intact skin remains between the micro-areas, healing occurs quickly and without negative consequences. The widely advertised photo and radio wave lifting relies on heating collagen fibers without removing the epidermis.

Merits

The main distinguishing feature from other procedures is the ideal relationship between efficiency and safety.

Main advantages:

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

Important! The only drawback is the insufficient disclosure of all the features of fractional laser rejuvenation, since 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 a serious appliance can use this method.

The fractional laser treatment fights many facial imperfections, including:

• severe wrinkles on the forehead;
• nasolabial folds;
• crow's feet thread around the eyes;
• epidermis, "flowing down";
• skin pigmentation, scars, scars, varicose veins;
• problem of enlarged pores, acne.

Laser therapy has proven to be very effective in eliminating all these problems.

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

What is the method of facial electroporation and expert feedback on the effectiveness of the procedure. Read here the details about yellow peeling - what it is and for what purpose it is performed.

Procedure

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

Important! On the day of the procedure, it is worthwhile to completely abandon physical stress, take alcoholic beverages and smoke.

Before the fractional rejuvenation, the skin must be well cleaned and treated with special anesthetic agents. Sometimes this isn't 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 required sessions is assigned to each patient individually. At the end of the exposure, apply a soothing cream.

In the future, the skin needs special care.

1. Apply a moisturizer to the skin a couple of times a day for 10-14 days.
2. Protect the skin from UV rays for 2-3 months.
3. Do not 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.

Be careful!Generally, recovery takes 3 to 7 days.

Reviews and results

According to the reviews of most patients, non-ablative laser rejuvenation is really very easy to tolerate and gives excellent results. After 3-6 sessions, which are performed every 2-4 weeks, you can look 5-10 years younger, even if you don't take long breaks from work and without suffering serious discomfort in the recovery period.

The technology allows to preserve as much as possible the upper layer of the epidermis.The protective properties of the skin are partly preserved and you can safely go outside for 2-3 days, without forgetting the protection from ultraviolet rays. It successfully copes with most of the early signs of aging. But to permanently remove the mimic wrinkles in the frontal area and the nasolabial folds, it is advisable, after the completion of the rejuvenation course, to introduce Botox, which will not allow the muscles to contract and create new skin folds. The lifting effect with proper face care lasts up to 3-5 years.

Changes to the skin

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

Over time, the skin may appear slightly tanned.

Important! You don't have to do anything - your normal skin color will return by itself after a couple of weeks. For a week, the skin dries up and flakes off.

Possible unpleasant consequences

Don't worry if after the first treatment your skin becomes reddish and "burns". This does not indicate the inaccuracy 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 them faster, you should 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 their skin. It can harden and turn into a scab. This is also considered a natural reaction. This type of procedure involves removing the upper 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 come off on its own as soon as the tissue heals. This can be seen after 5-7 days, so be patient. After another month, the skin of the face will have a pink tint and will also be receptive to light: you will have to stock up on protective creams.

Adverse reactions after the procedure are no exception. A rash, mild scabies, and a different skin color may appear in some areas of the face. Over time it will pass, but the sensations are quite unpleasant. High risk of side effects in patients with excessive skin sensitivity.

The cosmetologist prescribes the cure after fractional thermolysis individually, but there are general recommendations. You should wash your face only with clean, slightly warm (in no case hot) water. For the duration of the recovery period, forget about peeling and scrub. You can not stand in the open 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 the feelings of discomfort.

Contraindications

To avoid unpleasant consequences, make sure there are no contraindications.

Absolute contraindications include:

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

Among the related are:

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

Important!Only experienced and skilled beauticians can be entrusted with the procedure.

Preparation and execution

It is extremely important to find a highly qualified specialist to perform the procedure using non-ablative technology. Due to the gentle effect on the skin, a universal technique suitable for everyone simply does not exist. And we must 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 for the tan to disappear. It also allows you to work on skin with small non-purulent pimples or acne (its condition improves considerably after the procedure). The most important thing is to make sure there are no contraindications.

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

You must also stop taking anticoagulants, tetracycline antibiotics and retinol. On the day of the session, it is best not to apply any cream on the face.

Technique

The procedure is quite convenient and takes from 10 minutes to half an hour. The patient does not feel severe pain, so local anesthesia is usually not required either. 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 hidden under a disposable hat;
• the face is carefully cleaned of the remnants of cosmetics;
• a cooling conductive gel is applied to problem areas;
• the head of the apparatus is moved slowly over the skin;
• when the button is pressed a laser beam is generated;
• after treating the entire surface, apply a mask with panthenol.

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

Rehabilitation period

After the laser treatment of the skin, a light crust forms on it. The time 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 from 2 to 4 weeks. At the same time, it is not necessary for the patient to be constantly monitored by specialists, however, it is worthwhile to strictly follow all the recommendations prescribed for a month, namely:

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

Important! To achieve the desired result and keep it for a long time, it is worthwhile to periodically visit a beautician. It will not hurt to undergo a full course of procedures consisting of 4-5 sessions.

Action of the method

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 noticeably weakened. As a result of this exposure, we obtain:

• reduction of the depth of mimic wrinkles;
• almost complete elimination of small ones;
• noticeable tightening of the skin;
• restoration of the sharpness of the oval of the face;
• reduction of fenders and double chin;
• elimination of superficial pigmentation;
• skin relief smoothing;
• elimination of spider veins and mesh;
• 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 carried out course of treatment from the face, you can "cancel" from 5 to 10 years. At the same time, there are no wrinkles, scars and other traces as from surgical operations.

Duration of the procedure

The duration is determined by the size of the area affected by the laser. The chin will take about 15 minutes and the whole face will take no more than 80 minutes. If you only need to perform laser cleaning or resurfacing of the upper skin layer, it will take much less time than correcting the deeper layers.

Fractional CO2 laser

Fractional ray rejuvenation involves the use of localized 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 shortened to "fraxel".

Principle of action of fractional CO2 lasers

The basis of the laser operation is the mechanism of a dot effect, only the upper layers of the skin are heated and between the "damaged" spots remain the undamaged areas of the skin. 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 likelihood of infections, burns and other adverse reactions was many times greater.

The effectiveness of the technique is explained by the formation of microthermic areas in the tissues, which are the epicenter of the active processes of cell regeneration. Regeneration not only extends to these areas, but 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 development stages.

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

Important! After a while, some shortcomings were discovered in the apparatus, which is why they had to start improving it.

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

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

Nowadays, most anti-aging drug manufacturers are developing similar lasers. By the way, each patient can buy one or another type of apparatus 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 stands out for its ease of use thanks to the simple control, the possibility to choose different geometric shapes and sizes of the illuminated area.

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