Treatment of neck lines and forehead rhytids with a nonablative 1540-nm Er:glass laser: a controlled clinical study combined with the measurement of the thickness and the mechanical properties of the skin.
BACKGROUND
Nonablative remodeling has been recently proposed as a new, no-down-time, anti-aging treatment. Objective. The objective was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of nonablative skin remodeling with a 1540-nm Er:Glass laser on neck lines and forehead rhytids.


METHODS
Twenty female patients (mean age 45 years) were enrolled. Skin thickness and mechanical properties were measured before the first treatment, 1 month after the third treatment, 1 month after the fifth treatment, and 3 months after the fifth treatment.


RESULTS
All patients reported an improvement in both skin tone and texture. Using ultrasound imaging, dermal thickness of neck and forehead increased, respectively, by 70+/-13 microm (p<0.001) and 110+/-19 microm (p<0.003). A dramatic increase of initial stress of the forehead skin (firmness) was obtained, from 7.62+/-3.68 before treatment to 16.68+/-7.44 3 months after the fifth treatment (p<0.0002). No immediate or late adverse effects were noted throughout the treatment regimen.


CONCLUSIONS
This study demonstrates that irradiation with a 1540-nm Er:Glass laser emitting in a pulsed mode and coupled with an efficient contact cooling system increases dermal thickness and firmness, leading to a clinical improvement of neck lines and forehead rhydits.
Dahan
Serge
S
Dermatology and Laser Center, Clinique St Jean du Languedoc, Toulouse, France.
Lagarde
Jean Michel
JM
Turlier
Virginie
V
Courrech
Laetitia
L
Mordon
Serge
S
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005148:Facial Dermatoses / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D005260:Female; D005546:Forehead; D006801:Humans; D028022:Low-Level Light Therapy / Q000379:methods; D008875:Middle Aged; D009333:Neck; D015361:Rhytidoplasty / Q000379:methods; D012867:Skin / Q000473:pathology* / Q000528:radiation effects*; D015595:Skin Aging / Q000473:pathology*