Who doesn't dream of young, beautiful and healthy skin? Unfortunately, her aging is an inevitable process. With age, elasticity is lost, pores increase, wrinkles and age spots appear. How to deal with it and is it possible without surgery?
One of the most effective options is fractional laser thermolysis. This is a non-surgical rejuvenation procedure that can solve a wide range of age and aesthetic problems, including smoothing wrinkles and correcting scars.
How does it work?
The process of photothermolysis is based on the directed action of a laser beam, divided into several hundred of the finest rays (so-called fractions, hence the name). When it hits the target area of the skin, it causes small, strictly controlled temperature damage.
In response to these microtraumas, a natural regeneration process begins. There is an increased production of collagen - the protein responsible for skin tone and elasticity. The damaged layer is completely restored. As a result - a pronounced rejuvenating effect, which is mainly achieved by activating 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 relief: narrow pores, remove traces of acne (after acne), small stretch marks, scars after burns or cuts and other damage to scars;
- brightens pigmentation, melasma (including those associated with aging);
- perform a complete laser peel - from superficial to complete distortion.
In general, fractional thermolysis is a universal technique, is suitable for patients of any age and is considered an ideal option for those who want to achieve a rejuvenating effect but are not yet ready to go to a plastic surgeon. It is also allowed to act on the face, including the sensitive area of the eyelids and the skin around the eyes, and on the body - for example, the neck, décolleté or arms.
What devices exist
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 the name itself has become a household name for the process of factional rejuvenation. Today it is considered obsolete, although quite effective. There are 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 path. That is why it surpasses its eminent predecessor in every respect: the procedure becomes more comfortable and safer, fewer sessions are needed and recovery is faster.
There are also a number of analog devices, mostly of Asian origin. They may be similar to Fraxel and Mixt in principle of action, but they are always inferior in safety, because 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 indications and other nuances are listed. No special training is required, so you can switch directly to laser work:
- 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 impact.
- Then the doctor adjusts the device - sets the depth of penetration, strength in joules, pulse rate and other parameters. They are selected depending on the problem to be solved.
- After that, the beautician slowly drives the manipul over the desired area of skin, supplying it with the same light fractions. This can be quite uncomfortable (depending on an individual’s sensitivity to pain), but is generally tolerable - most often patients describe their feelings as mild tingling or stinging.
- The whole procedure, excluding the preparation, takes about 20 minutes, the exact time depends on the size of the treated area. Immediately after finishing, 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 take after fractional thermolysis and how to care for your skin during that time?
Up to 24 hours after the session, redness remains on the face, sometimes a slight swelling. It looks like it happens when a person is slightly sunburned. Fear not, this is a natural reaction that indicates the onset of the rejuvenation mechanism.
The next day, characteristic brown spots appear. On the third day, another indicator of the started changes appears - micro-peeling of the skin (peeling of old surface particles), which, however, passes quite quickly. Also, 1-2 weeks after the session, bronzing or tanning effects can occur.
There are several restrictions after the procedure, but it is extremely important to adhere to them, otherwise there is a risk not only not to get the desired effect, but also to face complications:
- You can't sunbathe for 2-3 weeks, including in the solarium, or go to the bath / sauna (before the session, you can). At the same time, the fractional thermolysis itself is carried out only in the period without active sun.
- Moisturizing cosmetics (a light cream that will not clog 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 peels and scrubs, creams with acids are forbidden. Under no circumstances should you peel off flaking shells, intensively scratch or rub the area where the laser thermolysis was performed.
The rejuvenating effect grows and reaches its peak within a month. In order to achieve a complete result with the help of Fraxel laser, in most cases a course of 3-6 procedures is required. Mixto copes with minor flaws in 1 session, with more serious ones in 2-3. The interval between them is a few weeks so the skin has time to fully recover.
The final result is not "obsolete", but it is logical that over time, under the influence of age and external factors, the skin condition will deteriorate.
Contraindications, complications and side effects
Like 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 herpetic eruptions;
- acute infectious diseases;
- recent medium or deep chemical peeling, mechanical dermabrasion;
- period of pregnancy and lactation.
In terms of complications and side effects, the most common are increased pigmentation in the treated area. Fraxel, second-generation lasers, with the wrong settings, could cause severe burns, all the way to the appearance of deep scars. Mixto does not create such problems.
However, the effectiveness and safety of the procedure still largely depends on the beautician: the doctor must understand what exactly, why and how he works with such a powerful device. Therefore, the method of protection against 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 qualifications of the experts. Ask your beautician for the exact amount.