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Wrinkles and Acne Scars: Fractional Nonablative Lasers

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Laser and IPL Technology in Dermatology and Aesthetic Medicine

Abstract

Minimally invasive laser therapies using fractionated laser beams have become increasingly more prevalent, especially for treating wrinkled sun-damaged skin and acne scars. Moreover, indications for their use have also significantly increased. Fractional lasers apply energy using microscopic dimensions and leave the surrounding tissue unaffected, intact, and therefore vital. This permits a much shorter period of recovery than if a larger area was treated at once. Treating the skin with nonablative fractional laser means results in a unique wound-healing process that is assisted by persistence of vital epidermis even in treatment areas. Each laser spot also creates a deep dermal column of coagulated tissue, known as a microthermal treatment zone. One of the advantages of this process is that keratinocytes, stem cells, melanocytes, inflammatory cells, and their respective molecular signaling capacities remain intact, leading to fast dermal remodeling at depths up to one millimeter. Currently, this technology is widely used to treat fine wrinkles and acne scars. The overall efficacy of these devices seems to be comparable in both cases, and similar results have been demonstrated with both photodamaged skin and acne scars. Finally, there is production and depositing of newly formed collagen over time. Despite these advantages and the availability of a wide range of systems, the clinical effectiveness is most often rated as only moderate in magnitude.

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  1. Department of Dermatology, University of Leipzig, Ph.-Rosenthal-Strasse 23, 04103, Leipzig, Germany

    Uwe Paasch

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  1. Uwe Paasch
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Correspondence to Uwe Paasch .

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  1. Laserklinik Karlsruhe, Kaiserstr. 104, Karlsruhe, 76133, Germany

    Christian Raulin

  2. Laserklinik Karlsruhe, Kaiserstr. 104, Karlsruhe, 76133, Germany

    Syrus Karsai

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Paasch, U. (2011). Wrinkles and Acne Scars: Fractional Nonablative Lasers. In: Raulin, C., Karsai, S. (eds) Laser and IPL Technology in Dermatology and Aesthetic Medicine. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-03438-1_24

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-03438-1_24

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