Who does not dream of young, beautiful and healthy skin? Unfortunately, aging is an inevitable process. With age, the elasticity is lost, the pores expand, wrinkles and age spots appear. How to deal with this and is it possible 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 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, whence the name). When they hit the target area of the skin, they cause small, strictly controlled temperature damage.
In response to these microtraumas, a natural regeneration process begins. There is 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 occurs mainly due to the activation of the natural internal resources of our body.
Indications for fractional thermolysis
With this procedure you can:
- smoothes fine wrinkles;
- improve skin tone, make it more elastic;
- correct the relief: narrow the pores, remove the traces of acne (after acne), small stretch marks, scars after burns or cuts and other defects of scars;
- relieves pigmentation, melasma (including age-related);
- perform a complete laser peel - from superficial to complete rinsing.
In general, fractional thermolysis is a universal technique, suitable for patients of all ages 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 arms.
What devices are there
Photothermolysis is performed using various CO2 and erbium lasers, two of which need special attention:
- Fraxel - has long been a leader in its category, and its very name has become a host for the procedure of partial rejuvenation. Today it is considered obsolete, although quite effective. It has several varieties (re: store, re: fine, re: pair), designed to work with different skin types 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 beam trajectory. Therefore, in all respects it surpasses its prominent predecessor: the procedure becomes more comfortable and moreSafer, fewer sessions are needed and recovery is faster.
There are also many analog devices, mostly of Asian origin. They may be similar to Fraxel and Mixto in terms of the principle of operation, but they are always inferior in safety because they do not have such precise settings for fractionation, intensity and depth of penetration of the beam.
How the procedure works
The session begins with a consultation with a beautician, where the indications and other nuances are specified. No special training is required, so you can then proceed directly to working with the laser:
- The first step is to clean 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 exposure.
- The doctor then adjusts the device - sets the depth of penetration, power in joules, pulse rate and other parameters. They are chosen depending on the problem to be solved.
- The beautician then slowly moves the manipulator over the desired area of skin, delivering the same light fractions. This can be quite uncomfortable (depending on the individual's sensitivity to pain), but is generally tolerable - most often patients describe their sensations as a slight tingling or burning sensation.
- The whole procedure, except for the preparation, takes about 20 minutes, the exact time depends on the size of the treated area. Immediately after finishing the face, apply a soothing cream. You can go home and return to your usual routine with minimal restrictions.
How long does rehabilitation take after fractional thermolysis and how to take care of your skin during this time?
Up to 24 hours after the session, the face remains red, sometimes slightly swollen. It is similar to what happens when a person is slightly sunburned. Fear not, this is a natural reaction that indicates the start of the rejuvenation mechanism.
The next day, characteristic brown spots appear. And on the third day another indicator of the started changes appears - micro-exfoliation of the skin (exfoliation of old surface particles), which, however, passes quite quickly. Also, for 1-2 weeks after the session, bronzing can continue, ie the effect of tanning.
There are several post-procedural restrictions, but it is extremely important to follow 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, and go to the bath / sauna (on the eve of the session you can). At the same time, the fractional thermolysis itself takes place only during the period without active sun.
- Moisturizing cosmetics (a light cream that will not clog pores) should be applied to the treated area in the first weeks.
- It is imperative to protect the treated skin from strong mechanical stress. All peels and scrubs, creams with acids are forbidden until complete healing. Under no circumstances should you peel off the flaking scales, intensively scratch or rub the place where the laser thermolysis was performed.
The rejuvenating effect increases and reaches its peak within a month. In order to get a full result with the Fraxel laser, in most cases a course of 3-6 procedures is needed. Mixto deals with small defects for 1 session, with more serious ones - for 2-3. The interval between them is a few weeks, so that the skin has time to fully recover.
The end result is not "obsolete", but it is logical over time, under the influence of age and external factors, the condition of the skin to deteriorate.
Contraindications, complications and side effects
As with other hardware correction methods, 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 herpes outbreaks;
- acute infectious diseases;
- recent medium or deep chemical peeling, mechanical dermabrasion;
- period of pregnancy and lactation.
Regarding complications and side effects, the most common are increased pigmentation in the treated area. Fraxel, other lasers of the previous generation, with incorrect settings, can cause quite serious burns, to the appearance of deep scars. Mixto does not create such problems.
However, the effectiveness and safety of the procedure still largely depends on cosmetics: the doctor must understand exactly what, why and how to do with such a powerful device. Therefore, the way to prevent complications and other side effects is very simple - contact only an experienced specialist who knows how to work with modern lasers.
How much does fractional thermolysis cost?
The price 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 qualification of the specialist. Ask your beautician for the exact amount.