title: Ablative CO2 lasers for skin tightening: traditional versus fractional.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  With patients more resistant to invasive treatments and those that result in significant downtime, there has been a rise in using lasers to improve skin laxity and induce tissue tightening as an alternative to surgery. Traditional and fractional ablative resurfacing induces skin tightening through precise dermal heating and a wound-healing effect.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this review was to discuss the mechanism of action of using ablative lasers to induce skin tightening and compare traditional versus fractional technologies.
  
  
  METHODS
  A review of the literature was performed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The authors discuss traditional and fractional ablative lasers for achieving skin tightening.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Neocollagenesis and dermal remodeling seen after ablative resurfacing contributes to the clinical improvement seen in tissue tightening. Fractional photothermolysis may enhance tissue tightening effects of ablative lasers because of its ability to ablate deeper into the reticular dermis without significant risk for scarring.
authors.affiliation: *Division of Dermatology, University of California San Diego, San Diego, California; †Private Practice, San Diego, California.
authors.forename: Arisa E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Ortiz
authors.forename: Mitchel P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Goldman
authors.forename: Richard E
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Fitzpatrick
mesh_terms: D003357:Cosmetic Techniques / Q000295:instrumentation; D006801:Humans; D053685:Laser Therapy / Q000295:instrumentation*; D054020:Lasers, Gas / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D062326:Re-Epithelialization / Q000528:radiation effects; D015595:Skin Aging / Q000473:pathology* / Q000528:radiation effects*