Fractional laser rejuvenation: description of the procedure

All women dream of preserving their beauty and youth as long as possible, while resorting to various methods. Modern medicine does not stop and is actively developing in the field of cosmetology, offering all kinds of procedures and operations to rejuvenate.

Techniques for masking the obvious signs of aging without surgery and beauty injections are well known and sought after. Fractional laser rejuvenation in the modern world is considered to be one of the most effective methods of combating age-related skin changes.

Fractional laser: what is it

When you point the laser at the skin, a burn appears, which goes further. Regenerative processes are activated, which helps to achieve the desired result. Also called laser resurfacing.

In the fractional technique, the beam is divided into several microbeams. The effect on the skin will be in the form of a mesh. After such exposure, the burns look like a large accumulation of microtips among the unaffected skin.

Important! This significantly reduces damage to the skin, promoting its rapid healing.

Unaffected skin cells actively divide after laser treatment. At the same time, collagen and elastin are produced, which guarantees young skin.

What is fractional photothermolysis and how does it work?

Fractional photothermolysisis ​​a process of focal destruction of tissues by heating them with light energy (laser).

The effect is due to two phenomena:

• First, the old tissue is physically destroyed and removed, in place of which a new one grows, free from the defect;
• Second, due to the heat, the skin cells are activated, a phenomenon of the so-called "heat shock" occurs, when the cells start to function as young, actively rebuilding the collagen-elastin skeletonof the skin.

In the end, the skin is not only firmed and free of age spots, but also smoothed: scars and wrinkles are smoothed, stretch marks disappear, pore size is reduced, it becomes denser and more elastic.

The visible effect is already noticeable after ONE procedure, and after several procedures a pronounced rejuvenating result is observed. In addition, a good lifting effect is noted for several months after the operation.

Types of procedure

There are two types.

1. Ablative. Laser exposure leads to tissue dehydration, as a result of which an open micro-wound appears and injured cells are found around it. During the recovery process, a noticeable lifting effect is noted, but there is a risk of infection.
2. Non ablative. With such radiation, the skin remains intact, water from the tissues does not evaporate, and microscopic wounds do not appear. The process of the appearance and healing of burns occurs under the epidermis, which eliminates the risk of infection, however, the result of such rejuvenation will be less noticeable.

Important! A particular technique is chosen by a specialist, taking into account the individual characteristics of the patient's skin.

Applied devices

The consequences depend not only on the competence of the doctor, but also on the type of material provided by the salon or clinic. In most cases, this is a European manufacturing technique. Sale is carried out in special stores or on the official websites of manufacturers. For single use, rental is possible.

Only professional equipment is used, it is quite expensive. There aredifferent types: both ablative and non-ablative (the work surface is pressed against the skin or held away).

Problems that can be eliminated in this way

Post-acne. These scars are a very common problem that results in physical and emotional distress. The procedure can reduce the appearance of acne scars. Depending on the type of scar, various methods of skin resurfacing are used.

Wrinkles around the eyes. Expression lines, dark circles under the eyes are considered the main indication. It will not be possible to get rid of all wrinkles in one procedure, but their depth will decrease and they will be less noticeable. For a visible result, you will need 4-5 procedures.

Important! Dysport injections will help cope with mimic wrinkles, which may also reduce the likelihood of new wrinkles appearing in the future.

Wrinkles around the mouth. Considered the most severe type of wrinkle. To get rid of it, continuous laser grinding is applied. This method makes it possible to reduce the duration of the rehabilitation period, but it requires more sessions (4-5).

Important! To achieve optimal results in a short time, you can combine the procedure with the injection of fillers.

What is the advantage of fractional photothermolysis over radio waves and photolifting?

Fractional photothermolysis, unlike laser resurfacing, removes the epidermis not immediately over the entire surface of the skin, but “in a fractional manner” - in uniform micro-areas, every fraction of a millimeter in size. At the same time, since there is no extensive wound surface, and intact skin remains between the micro-areas, scarring occurs quickly and without negative consequences. The widely advertised photo and radio wave facelift is based on heating the collagen fibers without removing the epidermis.

Merits

The main feature that sets itself apart from other procedures is the ideal balance between efficiency and safety.

Main advantages:

• the ability to influence any part of the body;
• complete list of indications;
• the laser affects about 20% of the damaged skin area;
• fast recovery (3-6 days);
• accessibility of the procedure for black patients;
• long lasting effect (over a year).

Important! The only downside is the insufficient disclosure of all the features of fractional laser rejuvenation, as the technology is relatively new.

Indications for use:

• rides;
• insufficient skin elasticity;
• pigmentation;
• scars;
• dilated pores;
• stretch marks.

Readings

Anyone who wants to rejuvenate without major braces can use this method.

Fractional laser treatment fights many facial imperfections, including:

• severe forehead wrinkles;
• nasolabial folds;
• crow's feet thread around the eyes;
• the epidermis "sinks down";
• skin pigmentation, scars, scars, spider veins;
• dilated pore problem, acne.

Laser therapy has been shown to be very effective in eliminating all of these problems.

The only caveat is that, depending on the severity of the imperfection, multiple procedures may be required.

What is the method of facial electroporation and expert reviews on the effectiveness of the procedure. Read here for more details about yellow peel - what it is and what it is done for.

Procedure

Before the procedure, the beautician may prescribe anti-infective and antibacterial drugs for several days for prophylaxis.

Important! On the day of the procedure, you need to completely give up physical stress, drink alcohol and smoke.

Before fractional rejuvenation, the skin should be thoroughly cleansed and treated with special anesthetic agents. Sometimes this is not necessary.

Laser exposure may cause a slight tingling sensation. The duration of the procedure varies from 10 to 60 minutes. The number of sessions required is assigned to each patient individually. At the end of the exposure, a soothing cream should be applied.

Your skin needs special care in the future.

1. Apply moisturizer to your skin several times a day for 10 to 14 days.
2. Protect the skin from UV rays for 2-3 months.
3. Do not use scrubs for 2-3 weeks.
4. Give up cosmetics containing retinol and salicylic acid for 2 weeks.
5. During the recovery period, try to give up or limit yourself to bad habits.

Note!Typically, recovery takes 3-7 days.

Reviews and results

According to the reviews of most patients, non-ablative laser rejuvenation is really very easy to tolerate and gives excellent results. After 3-6 sessions, which are performed every 2-4 weeks, you can look 5-10 years younger, without taking long breaks from work and experiencing serious inconvenience during the recovery period.

Technology allows you to preserve the upper layer of the epidermis as much as possible.The protective properties of the skin are partially preserved, and you can safely go out for 2-3 days, not to mentionprotection against ultraviolet rays. She is successfully coping with most of the early signs of aging. But in order to permanently eliminate mimic wrinkles in the frontal area and nasolabial folds, it is advisable, after the end of the rejuvenation course, to introduce Botox, which will not allow the muscles to contract and create new ones. skin folds. The lifting effect with proper facial care lasts up to 3-5 years.

Skin changes

After the procedure, redness, swelling and discomfort may occur for 2 days. If this condition is difficult to tolerate, pain relievers can be used to cool the worrying skin area.

Over time, the skin may appear slightly tanned.

Important! Do nothing - normal skin color will return on its own after a few weeks. The skin dries and flakes over the course of a week.

Possible unpleasant consequences

Do not be concerned if, after the first procedure, your skin turns reddish and "burns". This does not indicate the incorrectness of the procedure, but is considered a natural response of the body. After 2-3 hours, swelling may also appear in the nose and eye area.

Important! To get rid of it faster, you need to take care to quickly remove fluids from the body (eat less salty and spicy foods, take a diuretic).

The next morning, many are horrified to see the blood on their skin. It can harden and turn into a crust. This is also considered a natural reaction. This type of procedure involves the removal of the top protective layer of the skin - a new one appears under the scab. Therefore, it is strictly forbidden to touch with your hands and try to tear the scab, otherwise there is a risk of infection, scars may appear on the face. The scab peels off on its own as soon as the tissue heals. It can be observed after 5-7 days, so be patient. After an additional month, the skin on the face will have a pinkish tint and will also be receptive to light - you need to stock up on barrier creams.

Adverse effects after the procedure are no exception. A rash, mild scab, and a different skin color in some areas of the face may appear. Over time, it will pass, but the sensations are quite unpleasant. High risk of side effects in patients with excessive skin sensitivity.

The cosmetologist prescribes care after fractional thermolysis individually, but there are general recommendations. You should wash your face only with clean, slightly lukewarm (not hot) water. For the duration of the recovery period, forget about the peels and scrubs. You can not stay in the sun for 7-10 days, after which it is worth using special creams. It is important to pay attention to proper sleep, nutrition and rest. Following all the instructions, after 2 weeks you can forget about the uncomfortable sensations.

Contraindications

In order to avoid unpleasant consequences, you should make sure that there are no contraindications.

Absolute contraindications include:

• pregnancy and lactation;
• scarring tendency;
• chronic infectious diseases;
• oncology;
• serious immune system problems;
• worsening of psoriasis.

Among the relative ones, there are:

• high blood sugar;
• kidney disease;
• mental health problems;
• refusal to follow the recommendations of a specialist;
• recent tan.

Important!Only estheticians with the appropriate experience and skills may be entrusted with the procedure.

Preparation and execution

It is extremely important to find a highly qualified specialist to perform the procedure using non-ablative technology. Due to the delicate effect on the skin, a universal technique that would suit everyone simply does not exist. And we need to select an individual program for each patient, taking into account the age and condition of the skin.

Before the session

The preparatory phase can be very short. With the non-ablative method, there is no need to wait for the tan to go away. It also allows to work on the skin with small non-purulent pimples or acne (its condition improves markedly after the intervention). The most important thing is to make sure that there are no contraindications.

A few days before the first session, it is very important to avoid damage or severe irritation to the skin in the problem areas. Therefore, it is better to forgo alcohol-based cosmetics and not to peel.

You should also stop taking blood thinners, tetracycline antibiotics and retinol. On the day of the session, it is better not to apply any cream to the face at all.

Technical

The procedure is quite comfortable and takes anywhere from 10 minutes to half an hour. The patient does not experience severe pain, so the use of even local anesthesia is usually not necessary. But for people with a high sensitivity threshold, it is allowed.

The procedure execution diagram looks like this:

• the patient sits comfortably on the sofa;
• hair should be kept under a disposable hat;
• the face is carefully cleaned from the remains of cosmetic products;
• a conductive cooling gel is applied to the problem areas;
• the head of the device is slowly moved over the skin;
• pressing the button generates a laser beam;
• after treatment of the entire surface, apply a panthenol mask.

Within 15 to 20 minutes of the end of the session, it is safe to return home.

Rehabilitation period

After laser treatment of the skin, a light scab forms on it. The time of its disappearance depends on the characteristics of the recovery process of a particular type of skin. It also affects the rehabilitation period. Its duration is 2 to 4 weeks. In this case, it is not necessary for the patient to be constantly monitored by specialists, however, it is worth relentlessly following all the recommendations prescribed for a month, namely:

• quit physical activity;
• do not go to the solarium, baths, saunas;
• ditch decorative cosmetics for a while;
• protect yourself from any mechanical stress.

Important! To achieve the desired result and keep it for a long time, it is worth visiting a beautician periodically. It will not hurt to undergo a whole course of procedures consisting of 4-5 sessions.

Method Action

The laser beam penetrates the depth of the skin from a few microns to 3-4 mm. At the same time, its surface layer is not completely destroyed, although the natural protection is significantly weakened. As a result of such an exposure, we get:

• reduction in the depth of mimic wrinkles;
• almost complete elimination of the young;
• noticeable firming of the skin;
• restoration of the sharpness of the oval of the face;
• wings and double chin reduction;
• removal of superficial pigmentation;
• smoothing the relief of the skin;
• spider veins and mesh removal;
• shrinkage of large pores;
• improve the complexion;
• improve and even out skin tone.

Visually, after non-ablative rejuvenation, patients begin to appear fresher. And after competently performed facial treatment, you can "erase" from 5 to 10 years. It does not leave wrinkles, scars and other marks like those from surgery.

Duration of the procedure

The duration is determined by the size of the area affected by the laser. The chin will take about 15 minutes, and the whole face will take no more than 80 minutes. If it is necessary to perform only laser cleaning or resurfacing of the upper layer of the skin, it will take much less time compared to correcting the deeper layers.

Fractional CO2 laser

Fractional ray rejuvenation involves the use of spot techniques on the epidermis to correct age-related skin problems. The principle is the basis of most modern cosmetology devices. The fractional CO2 laser is popular and is considered the most innovative development.

Important! The procedure is abbreviated as "fraxel".

Principle of action of fractional CO2 lasers

The basis of the operation of the laser is the mechanism of a point effect, only the upper layers of the skin are heated, and between the "damaged" points unaffected areas of the skin remain. Rejuvenation with the help of such a laser is in many ways superior to obsolete methods, when the entire surface of the skin was injured, and the likelihood of infection, burning and other unwanted effects was several times higher. high.

The efficiency of the technique is explained by the formation of microthermal zones in the tissues, which are the epicenter of the active processes of cell regeneration. Regeneration not only extends to these areas, but also affects healthy tissue.

Important! After fractional rejuvenation, the skin regenerates much faster than the entire facial skin effect, and the effect lasts for several years.

Fractional lasers are a relatively new development that already has specific stages of development.

Step 1.Creating an erbium laser, which is used in the non-ablative form of fractional laser rejuvenation. The surface layer of the skin is not affected during its application, the effect occurs only on the deep layers. The procedure received a lot of positive reviews from cosmetologists and patients.

Important! After some time, some shortcomings of the device were discovered, which necessitated its improvement.

Step 2. The advent of the fractional CO2 laser. It differs from erbium in that it works with gas mixtures. When operating the device, microthermal columns appear, which affect absolutely all layers of the skin. Around them the process of cell division begins, new ones appear. The advantages of this technology lie in the possibility of influencing even the most complex scars. Also, using this method, you can cope with deep folds and porosity of the skin. In addition, lasers help to achieve a more visible result of skin rejuvenation, which is the main goal of this type of procedure. The device easily resists deep wrinkles, scars and severe skin blemishes. The laser beams are quickly absorbed by the water, which evaporates immediately.

Important! The device can influence even areas such as the décolleté, eyelids and neck.

Nowadays, most anti-aging drug manufacturers are developing similar lasers. By the way, each patient can buy one or another type of device on their own. When buying a device with a fractional laser, it is important to pay attention to its technical description and properties: energy density, size of the microthermal zone, etc.

The fractional CO2 laser stands out for its ease of use thanks to its simple control, the possibility of choosing various geometric shapes and sizes of the illuminated area.

Important! Those who plan to purchase such a device for rejuvenation should ensure the reliability of the manufacturer and suppliers, since lasers are quite complex from a technological point of view.