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Non-ablative Lasers for Photorejuvenation

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Lasers, Lights and Other Technologies

Abstract

Photoaging of the skin principally depends upon the amount of melanin in the skin and the degree of exposure to ultraviolet radiation. Solar damage to DNA leads to a reduction in the skin’s collagen content and ultimately to a deficit in the structural integrity of the skin. This manifests as clinically visible skin atrophy, lines and wrinkles, and dyschromias such as telangiectasias and pigmented lesions. Photorejuvenation entails an improvement in the tone, texture, and pigmentation of the skin. Various laser technologies are available that rejuvenate skin by resurfacing the uppermost layers and allow for the regeneration of new skin cells. The myriad of laser systems includes ablative and non-ablative lasers in both fractionated and nonfractionated or conventional forms. In varying degrees, all of these lasers treat pigmented lesions, soften wrinkles, and reduce the appearance of scars. Although the ablative technologies yield more effective results in terms of the overall reduction of photoaging, the non-ablative lasers allow for swift healing and are rarely associated with any complications or downtime. Furthermore, non-ablative lasers offer a wider spectrum of clinical indications, since they can be used to treat vascular lesions such as telangiectasia, generalized erythema, and rosacea that are commonly associated with aging skin.

Apart from photorejuvenation, non-ablative lasers have multiple applications including the reduction in sebum secretion in acne and the treatment of a variety of scars. However, this review aims to give an overview and highlight the clinical advantages of both fractionated and nonfractionated non-ablative laser platforms in current use for the treatment of photodamaged skin.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Aesthetica Clinic, Dubai, UAE

    Maria Angelo-Khattar

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  1. Maria Angelo-Khattar
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Correspondence to Maria Angelo-Khattar .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Clinical Medicine – Dermatology, Fluminense Federal University, Niterói, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

    Maria Claudia Almeida Issa

  2. Clínicas Hospital of São Paulo of the University of Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil

    Bhertha Tamura

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Angelo-Khattar, M. (2018). Non-ablative Lasers for Photorejuvenation. In: Issa, M., Tamura, B. (eds) Lasers, Lights and Other Technologies. Clinical Approaches and Procedures in Cosmetic Dermatology. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-16799-2_5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-16799-2_5

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-16798-5

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-16799-2

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