Nonablative laser and light treatments: histology and tissue effects--a review.
OBJECTIVE
Nonablative laser and light treatments have largely replaced ablative laser therapy in clinical use for the improvement of the visible signs of cutaneous photoaging, including rhytides, vascular lesions, and pigmentation. However, the mechanisms underlying the reported clinical efficacy of nonablative treatments are not well-understood. The purpose of this analysis is to critically evaluate what is known about histologic and tissue effects of nonablative laser therapy and suggest future directions for research.


METHODS
This is a review of the English language literature pertaining to nonablative laser and light treatments available through MEDline (1995-2002), and unpublished reports presented at major national meetings. Only studies that included harvesting and analysis of tissue samples are included.


CONCLUSIONS
(a) Thermal injury to the dermis in association with epidermal cooling most likely affects the dermal vasculature, which initiates a cascade of inflammatory events that includes fibroblastic proliferation and apparent up-regulation of collagen expression; (b) There is no indication that nonablative treatments are harmful or able to induce skin cancer; (c) It is possible that the horizontally distributed collagen reported after nonablative treatments is a "microscar," an enlarged Grenz sone associated with repetitive photo-induced trauma; (d) Further research is needed to elucidate the biophysical mechanisms underlying nonablative treatment, as well as to distinguish the utility of different wavelengths on epidermal and dermal improvement.
Alam
Murad
M
Section of Cutaneous and Aesthetic Surgery, Department of Dermatology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois 60611, USA. murad@alam.com
Hsu
Te-Shao
TS
Dover
Jeffrey S
JS
Wrone
David A
DA
Arndt
Kenneth A
KA
D003080:Cold Temperature / Q000009:adverse effects; D006358:Hot Temperature / Q000009:adverse effects; D006801:Humans; D007834:Lasers / Q000009:adverse effects*; D010789:Phototherapy / Q000009:adverse effects*; D012867:Skin / Q000293:injuries / Q000473:pathology* / Q000528:radiation effects*