Our office is home to two state-of-the-art Fotona LightWalker® combined Erbium and Neodymium lasers.
Laser is an acronym for light amplification by stimulated emission of radiation. The main goal of laser treatment is to put energy into the skin tissue at a precise wavelength to stimulate collagen formation therefore making the skin tighter and younger looking. Our lasers can also selectively target specific chromophores to treat age spots veins hair moles dark circles around the eyes and more.
Our laser treatments include ablative and non-ablative therapies. Ablative therapies are known to remove certain layers of the epidermis or dermis.
It is important to understand that lasers can interact with tissues in many different ways. The extent of the interaction between the laser and the tissue is dependent on many factors related to the laser itself, including wavelength, applied energy, peak power, power and energy density, and exposure time, as well as the optical characteristics, including reflection coefficient, absorption, and scattering, and thermal properties including thermal conductivity and thermal and heat capacity of the tissue.
The absorption of laser energy can be attracted to water molecules proteins or pigments. The absorbed portion of the laser radiation can produce photochemical and/or photothermal effects depending on the wavelength of the laser radiation and nature of the tissue.
The two most well studied laser wavelengths are what a lot of patients call “YAG” lasers short for Yttrium Aluminum Garnet. There are many different types of YAG lasers, but erbium YAG and neodymium YAG are the two most researched in medicine and most commonly used in facial esthetics. The following therapies used the photothermal capabilities of the Er:YAG and Nd:YAG lasers to convert and initiate the formation of new collagen and tissues to support tissue tightening of the face neck and lips.
The Er:YAG (wavelength 2940 nm) is best for cutting tissues because it is attracted to water, whereas the Nd:YAG (wavelength 1064 nm) is best utilized for vascular and pigmented lesions because it is less attracted to water and more attracted to pigment.
Chemical peels have been utilized for decades as a resurfacing agent aimed at removing the upper epithelium of the skin. The use of laser resurfacing peels offers a much more controlled and precise therapy. Chemical peels essentially vaporize a layer of skin, thus leaving the skin with a refreshed look upon healing. They are also known to improve hyperpigmentation and reduce fine lines and wrinkles. Laser resurfacing peels can do the same as chemical peels with less downtime and eliminate any hypersensitivities caused by the chemical irritants in chemical peels.
The laser resurfacing peel aims to remove either part of or the entire epidermis leading to exfoliation of the skin, removal of superficial lesions, and regeneration of a new epidermis. Treatment with a laser resurfacing peel is much more specific and controlled with less irritation compared to chemical peels.
Fotona’s SMOOTH mode utilizes the Er:YAG wavelength with lower nonablative energy delivered in pulses. SMOOTH mode is based on the controlled emission of a sequence of low-power pulses instead of a very long pulse that results in temperature increase inside the skin without any surface ablation. Instead of causing ablative injury, each laser pulse is thermal and able to travel additively into tissues with each stacked pulse. Time plus temperature equates to thermal injury to the tissue, and the body responds by producing tighter and thicker collagen bundles tightening the skin as a result. There is no outward injury and no scabs which means a quick recovery.
SMOOTH mode technology has since been used for a number of procedures, from improving surface skin texture, tightening dark circles under the eyes, plumping of the lips to improve and tone, and even tightening of the vaginal canal to improve sexual function in women.
SmoothLase can be used to treat deep nasolabial folds and marionette lines. Instead of directing the laser energy onto the skin itself, the laser energy is directed towards the nasolabial fold from inside of the mouth. The following advantages are observed:
- No external redness – the tissue is still tightened and collagen formation induced but no visible sign of any treatment can be detected extra-orally
- Oral tissue heals faster than the skin on the face, shorter recovery period – oral tissue is naturally moist and therefore heals, similar to applying an external skin lubricant like Aquaphor
- Oral tissue is thinner than facial tissue – therefore the laser energy can actually penetrate more effectively and deeply into the nasolabial folds and marionette lines from inside of the mouth
- The procedure can be done in combination – treatments can be targeted both intraorally and extraorally, offering double the laser energy to the same area
Fotona’s SMOOTH technology can also be used to augment the lips. The laser energy is able to improve collagen formation when a series of treatments are performed resulting in fuller and more supple lips, a more natural look than some other lip plumping treatments out there.