Who does not dream of a young, beautiful and healthy skin? Unfortunately, aging is an inevitable process. With age, elasticity is lost, pores enlarge, wrinkles and age spots appear. How to deal with this and is it possible to do without surgery?
One of the most effective options is fractional laser thermolysis. This is a non-surgical rejuvenation procedure that can solve a wide range of aesthetic and age-related problems, including smoothing wrinkles and correcting scars.
How does it work?
The photothermolysis procedure is based on the directed action of a laser beam, divided into several hundred of the finest beams (the so-called fractions, hence the name). When they hit the target skin area, they cause little strictly controlled temperature damage.
In response to these microtraumas, a natural regeneration process begins. There is an increased production of collagen, a protein responsible for the tone and elasticity of the skin. The damaged layer is completely renewed. As a result, a pronounced rejuvenating effect, which is obtained mainly due to the activation of the natural internal resources of our body.
Indications for fractional thermolysis.
With this procedure you can:
- smooth fine wrinkles;
- improve skin tone, make it more elastic;
- correct relief: narrow pores, remove traces of acne (post-acne), small stretch marks, scars after burns or cuts and other scar defects;
- lighten pigmentation, melasma (including age-related);
- Perform a full-fledged laser peel, from superficial to full resurfacing.
In general, fractional thermolysis is a universal technique, it is suitable for patients of any age and is considered an ideal option for those who want to achieve a rejuvenating effect, but are not yet ready to go to a plastic surgeon. It is allowed to work both on the face, including the delicate area of the eyelids and the skin around the eyes, as well as on the body, for example, with the neck, décolleté or hands.
What devices are there
Photothermolysis is carried out using various CO2 and erbium lasers, two of which should be given special attention:
- Fraxel - For a long time it was a leader in the category of him, and the very name of him has become a household name for the fractional rejuvenation procedure. Today it is considered obsolete, although quite effective. It has several varieties (re: store, re: fine, re: pair) designed to work with different types of skin and at different depths.
- Mixed is a new generation laser and the current "gold standard". It differs from Fraxel in wavelength and also uses a special beam path. Because of this, it outperforms its eminent predecessor in all respects: the procedure becomes more comfortable and safer, fewer sessions are needed, and recovery is faster.
There are also numerous analog devices, mainly of Asian origin. They can be similar to Fraxel and Mixto in terms of the principle of action, but they are always inferior to them in safety, since they do not have such precise adjustments for the splitting, intensity and depth of penetration of the beam.
How is it the procedure
The session begins with a consultation with a beautician, where the indications and other nuances are specified. No special training is required, so you can start working with the laser directly:
- The first step is to cleanse the skin. An anesthetic (usually a lidocaine-based gel) is then applied to the target area.
- The patient and the esthetician wear special glasses to protect the eyes from the accidental impact of the laser.
- The doctor then adjusts the device: sets the penetration depth, power in joules, pulse rate, and other parameters. They are selected based on the problem that needs to be solved.
- After that, the esthetician slowly drives the handpiece over the desired area of the skin, supplying it with the same fractions of light. This can be quite uncomfortable (depending on individual sensitivity to pain), but is generally tolerable; most of the time patients describe their sensations as a slight tingling or burning sensation.
- The entire procedure, excluding the preparation, takes approximately 20 minutes, the exact time depends on the size of the treated area. Immediately after finishing, a soothing cream is applied to the face. You can go home and go back to your usual routine with minimal restrictions.
How long does rehabilitation take after fractional thermolysis and how do you care for your skin during this time?
Up to 24 hours after the session, the redness remains on the face, sometimes a slight swelling. It looks like what happens when a person gets lightly sunburned. Do not be afraid, this is a natural reaction that indicates the launch of the rejuvenation mechanism.
The next day, the characteristic brown spots appear. And on the third day, another indicator of the changes that have begun appears - microexfoliation of the skin (exfoliation of old surface particles), which, however, passes quite quickly. Also, for 1-2 weeks after the session, the tan may persist, that is, the effect of the tan.
There are few post-procedure restrictions, but it is extremely important to observe them, otherwise there is a risk not only of not getting the desired effect, but also of facing complications:
- For 2-3 weeks, you can not sunbathe, even in the solarium, as well as go to the bath / sauna (the day before the session, yes). At the same time, fractional thermolysis itself is carried out only during the period without active sun.
- Moisturizing cosmetics (a light cream that does not clog pores) should be applied to the treated area during the first weeks.
- It is imperative to protect the treated skin from strong mechanical stresses. Until complete healing, peels and scrubs, creams with acids are prohibited. In no case should you peel off the peeled scales, scratch or intensely rub the area where the laser thermolysis was performed.
The rejuvenating effect grows and reaches its peak in a month. To obtain a complete result with the Fraxel laser, in most cases, a course of 3-6 procedures is needed. Mixed copes with minor defects in 1 session, with the most serious - in 2-3. The interval between them is several weeks so that the skin has time to fully recover.
The end result does not have a "prescription period", but it is logical that over time, under the influence of age and external factors, the skin condition worsens.
Contraindications, complications and side effects.
Like other hardware correction methods, fractional thermolysis is not performed in the following cases:
- oncological diseases;
- epilepsy;
- inflammatory processes of the skin in the target area (neurodermatitis, psoriasis, atopic dermatitis);
- fresh herpetic eruptions;
- acute infectious diseases;
- Recent midline or deep chemical peels, mechanical dermabrasion;
- pregnancy and lactation period.
As for complications and side effects, the most common are increased pigmentation in the treated area. Fraxel, other lasers of the previous generation, with incorrect settings, could cause quite severe burns, up to the appearance of deep scars. Mixed does not create such problems.
However, the effectiveness and safety of the procedure still largely depends on the esthetician: the doctor must understand what exactly, why and how he does it with such a powerful appliance. Therefore, the way to protect yourself against complications and other undesirable consequences is very simple: contact only an experienced specialist who knows how to work with modern lasers.
How much does fractional thermolysis cost?
The cost of the service depends on several factors: the brand of the device used for laser correction, the volume of the treated area, the duration of the course, and the qualifications of the specialist. Ask your esthetician for the exact amount.