title: Treatment of facial rhytides with a nonablative 1,450-nm diode laser: a controlled clinical and histologic study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the safety and effectiveness of a nonablative 1,450-nm midinfrared diode laser in the treatment of facial rhytides.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-five patients (skin phototypes I-III) with mild-to-moderate perioral or periorbital rhytides received four successive treatments at 3- to 4-week intervals with a 1,450-nm diode laser (SmoothBeam; Candela Corp., Wayland, MA). Symmetrical matched areas were left untreated to serve as controls. Patients were evaluated with digital photography at each treatment session and at 1, 3, 6, and 12 months after the final laser treatment. Skin biopsies were obtained from treatment and control facial sites for histologic evaluation before treatment, immediately after the first treatment, and 3, 6, and 12 months after the fourth treatment. Patient satisfaction scores were obtained at each follow-up visit.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mild to moderate improvement in treated facial rhytides was observed in all patients. Increased dermal collagen was seen 6 months after four successive treatments. Patient satisfaction scores paralleled the photographic and histopathologic changes seen. Side effects were limited to transient erythema, edema, and postinflammatory hyperpigmentation.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The nonablative 1,450-nm diode laser is safe and effective for the treatment of mild-to-moderate facial rhytides.
authors.affiliation: Washington Institute of Dermatologic Laser Surgery, 2311 M Street, N.W., Suite 200, Washington, DC 20037, USA.
authors.forename: Elizabeth L
authors.initials: EL
authors.lastname: Tanzi
authors.forename: Carmen M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Williams
authors.forename: Tina S
authors.initials: TS
authors.lastname: Alster
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D017495:Hyperpigmentation / Q000209:etiology; D053685:Laser Therapy; D008875:Middle Aged; D015361:Rhytidoplasty / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods; D012867:Skin / Q000473:pathology; D016896:Treatment Outcome