Who doesn't dream of young, beautiful and healthy skin? Unfortunately, her aging is an inevitable process. With age, elasticity is lost, pores enlarge, wrinkles and age spots appear. How to cope with this, and is it possible to do without surgery?
One of the most effective options is fractional laser thermolysis. This is a non-surgical rejuvenating procedure that can solve a wide range of age-related and aesthetic problems, including smoothing wrinkles and correcting scars.
How it works?
The photothermolysis procedure is based on the directed action of a laser beam, divided into several hundred of the finest beams (the so-called fractions, hence the name). When they hit the target skin area, they cause small, strictly controlled temperature damage.
In response to these microtraumas, a natural regeneration process begins. There is an increased production of collagen - a protein responsible for skin tone and elasticity. The damaged layer is completely renewed. As a result - a pronounced rejuvenating effect, which is obtained mainly due to the activation of the natural internal resources of our body.
Indications for fractional thermolysis
With this procedure you can:
- smooth out fine wrinkles;
- improve skin tone, make it more elastic;
- to correct the relief: to narrow pores, remove traces of acne (post-acne), small stretch marks, scars after burns or cuts and other cicatricial defects;
- lighten pigmentation, melasma (including age-related ones);
- carry out a full-fledged laser peeling - from superficial to total resurfacing.
In general, fractional thermolysis is a universal technique, it is suitable for patients of any age and is considered an ideal option for those who want to get a rejuvenating effect, but are not yet ready to go to a plastic surgeon. It is allowed to work both on the face, including the delicate area of the eyelids and the skin around the eyes, and on the body - for example, with the neck, décolleté or hands.
What devices are there
Photothermolysis is carried out using various CO2 and erbium lasers, two of which need to be paid special attention:
- Fraxel - for a long time was a leader in its category, and its very name has become a household name for the fractional rejuvenation procedure. Today it is considered obsolete, although quite effective. It has several varieties (re: store, re: fine, re: pair) designed to work with different types of skin and at different depths.
- Mixto is a new generation laser and today's "gold standard". It differs from Fraxel in wavelength, and also uses a special trajectory of the beams. Due to this, in all respects it surpasses its eminent predecessor: the procedure becomes more comfortable and safer, fewer sessions are needed, and recovery is faster.
There are also numerous analogue devices, mainly of Asian origin. They may be similar to Fraxel and Mixto in terms of the principle of influence, but they are always inferior to them in safety, since they do not have such precise settings for fractionation, intensity and depth of beam penetration.
How is the procedure
The session begins with a consultation with a beautician, where the indications and other nuances are specified. No special training is needed, so then you can go directly to working with the laser:
- The first step is to cleanse the skin. An anesthetic (usually a lidocaine-based gel) is then applied to the target area.
- The patient and the beautician wear special glasses to protect the eyes from accidental laser hit.
- Next, the doctor adjusts the device - sets the depth of penetration, power in joules, pulse frequency and other parameters. They are selected depending on the problem that needs to be solved.
- After that, the beautician slowly drives the maniple over the desired area of the skin, supplying the same light fractions to it. This can be quite uncomfortable (depending on individual pain sensitivity), but in general it is tolerable - most often patients describe their sensations as a slight tingling or burning sensation.
- The whole procedure, excluding preparation, takes about 20 minutes, the exact time depends on the size of the treated area. Immediately upon completion, a soothing cream is applied to the face. You can go home and return to your usual routine with minimal restrictions.
How long does rehabilitation after fractional thermolysis take and how to care for your skin during this time?
Up to 24 hours after the session, redness remains on the face, sometimes slight swelling. It looks like what happens when a person is slightly sunburned. Do not be afraid, this is a natural reaction that indicates the launch of the rejuvenation mechanism.
The next day, characteristic brown spots appear. And on the third day, another indicator of the changes that has begun appears - micro-exfoliation of the skin (exfoliation of old surface particles), which, however, passes rather quickly. Also, for 1-2 weeks after the session, bronzing may persist, that is, the effect of tanning.
There are few post-procedural restrictions, but it is extremely important to observe them, otherwise there is a risk not only not to get the desired effect, but also to face complications:
- For 2-3 weeks, you can not sunbathe, including in the solarium, as well as go to the bath / sauna (on the eve of the session, you can). At the same time, the fractional thermolysis itself is carried out only during the period without an active sun.
- Moisturizing cosmetics (a light cream that won't close pores) should be applied to the treated area during the first weeks.
- It is imperative to protect the treated skin from strong mechanical stress. Until complete healing, any peelings and scrubs, creams with acids are prohibited. In no case should you peel off peeling scales, intensively scratch or rub the area where the laser thermolysis was performed.
The rejuvenating effect grows and reaches its peak within a month. To obtain a full-fledged result with the Fraxel laser, in most cases, a course of 3-6 procedures is needed. Mixto copes with minor defects in 1 session, with more serious ones - in 2-3. The interval between them is several weeks so that the skin has time to fully recover.
The final result does not have a "statute of limitations", but it is logical that over time, under the influence of age and external factors, the skin condition will worsen.
Contraindications, complications and side effects
Like other methods of hardware correction, fractional thermolysis is not performed in the following cases:
- oncological diseases;
- epilepsy;
- inflammatory processes of the skin in the target area (neurodermatitis, psoriasis, atopic dermatitis);
- fresh herpetic eruptions;
- acute infectious diseases;
- recent midline or deep chemical peels, mechanical dermabrasion;
- period of pregnancy and lactation.
As for complications and side effects, the most common are increased pigmentation in the treated area. Fraxel, other lasers of the previous generation, with incorrect settings, could cause quite serious burns, up to the appearance of deep scars. Mixto does not create such problems.
Nevertheless, the effectiveness and safety of the procedure still largely depends on the beautician: the doctor must understand what exactly, why and how he does with such a powerful apparatus. Therefore, the way to hedge against complications and other undesirable consequences is very simple - contact only an experienced specialist who knows how to work with modern lasers.
How much does fractional thermolysis cost?
The cost of the service depends on several factors: the brand of the device used for laser correction, the volume of the treated area, the duration of the course, and the qualifications of the specialist. Ask your beautician for the exact amount.