Who does not dream of new, beautiful and healthy skin? Unfortunately, its aging is an inevitable process. With age, elasticity is lost, pores enlarge, wrinkles and age spots appear. How to deal with this, and is it possible to do without surgery?
One of the most effective options is partial laser thermolysis. This is a non-surgical rejuvenation procedure that can solve a wide range of age-related and aesthetic problems, including smoothing out wrinkles and correcting scars.
How does it work?
The photothermolysis procedure is based on the directed action of a laser beam, divided into several hundred best beams (so-called fractions, hence the name). When they hit the target area of the skin, they cause minor, strictly temperature-controlled damage.
In response to these microtraumas, a process of natural regeneration begins. There is an increase in collagen production - 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 internal natural resources of our body.
Indications for fractional thermolysis
With this procedure you can:
- softens fine wrinkles;
- improve skin tone, make it more elastic;
- correct relief: narrow pores, remove acne marks (post-acne), small stretch marks, scars after burns or cuts and other scar defects;
- facilitate pigmentation, melasma (including age-related ones);
- perform a full laser skin - from the surface to the total reappearance.
In general, partial 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 on the face, including the delicate area of the eyelids and the skin around the eyes, as well as on the body - for example, with the neck, décolleté or hands.
What devices are there
Photothermolysis is performed using various CO2 and erbium lasers, two of which should be given special attention:
- Fraxel - for a long time was a leader in its category, and its name itself has become a common name for the procedure of partial renewal. 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 the "gold standard" of today. It differs from Fraxel in wavelength, and also uses a special beam trajectory. Because of this, in all respects it surpasses its outstanding predecessor: the procedure becomes more comfortable and safer, fewer sessions are needed and healing is faster.
There are also numerous analog devices, mostly of Asian origin. They may be similar to Fraxel and Mixto in terms of principle of action, but they are always inferior to them in safety, as 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 an esthetician, where the indications and other nuances are specified. No special training is needed, so then you can go straight to laser work:
- 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 stroke.
- Next, the doctor adjusts the device - sets the penetration depth, power in joules, pulse frequency and other parameters. They are solved depending on the problem to be solved.
- After that, the beautician slowly directs the manipulation over the desired area of skin, supplying it with the same light fractions. This can be quite uncomfortable (depending on individual pain sensitivity), but it is generally tolerable - most often patients describe their sensations as a tingling or burning sensation.
- The whole procedure, excluding the preparation, takes about 20 minutes, the exact time depends on the size of the treated area. Immediately after completion, a soothing cream is applied to the face. You can go home and get back 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, redness remains on the face, sometimes slight swelling. It looks like what happens when a person gets a little sunburned. Do not be afraid, this is a natural reaction that indicates the beginning of the mechanism of rejuvenation.
The next day, characteristic brown spots appear. And on the third day, another indicator of the changes that have begun to appear - the microfilming of the skin (exfoliation of old surface particles), which, however, passes quite quickly. Also, for 1-2 weeks after the session, the tanning can continue, i. e. the tanning effect.
There are a few post-procedural limitations, but it is extremely important to observe them, otherwise there is a risk not only of not getting the desired effect, but also of facing 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, partial thermolysis itself is performed only during the period without an active sun.
- Moisturizing cosmetics (a light cream that will not clog pores) should be applied to the treated area during the first few weeks.
- It is imperative to protect the treated skin from strong mechanical stress. Until complete healing, any peeling and cleansing, acidic creams are prohibited. Under no circumstances should you remove the scaling scales, scratch or intensively rub the area where the laser thermolysis was performed.
The rejuvenating effect grows and peaks within a month. To get a complete result with Fraxel laser, in most cases, a course of 3-6 procedures is needed. Mixto copes with minor defects in 1 session, with the most serious ones - in 2-3. The interval between them is a few weeks so that the skin has time to heal completely.
The end 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 hardware correction methods, partial 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;
- chemical skin of the latter or deep, 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, other lasers of the previous generation, with incorrect settings, can cause quite serious burns, up to the appearance of deep wounds. Mixto does not create such problems.
However, the effectiveness and safety of the procedure still depends largely on the cosmetologist: the doctor needs to understand what exactly, why and how he does with such a powerful apparatus. Therefore, the way to protect 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 partial thermolysis cost?
The cost of the service depends on several factors: the brand of equipment used for the 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.