SkinEnergizer.com

Nonablative [Non-wounding] laser and light therapies for skin rejuvenation

Arch Facial Plast Surg. 2004 Nov-Dec;6(6):398-409
Kim KH, Geronemus RG.
Laser and Skin Surgery Center of New York, 317 E. 34th Street, New York, NY 10016, USA.

BACKGROUND:Multiple modalities have been described for skin rejuvenation, including ablative and nonablative therapies. Because of the prolonged recovery period associated with ablative procedures that injure the epidermis, nonablative skin treatments have grown increasingly popular. Various laser- and light-based systems have been designed or applied for promoting skin remodeling without damage to the epidermis.

METHODS: Studies investigating the use of nonablative procedures for facial rhytids [wrinkles] or acne scarring with clinical, histological, and objective quantitative measurements are systematically reviewed.

RESULTS: Nonablative treatments are associated with clinical and objective improvements for the treatment of facial rhytids and acne scarring. Dermal remodeling seems to occur as a result of thermal injury, leading to dermal fibrosis without epidermal disruption.

CONCLUSIONS: Although results are not as impressive as those of ablative treatments, nonablative procedures are effective in the treatment of photoaging and acnescarring. As technology in nonablative therapies continues to evolve, future laser and light sources may yield even more favorable results.

Alteration of extracellular matrix modulators after nonablative laser therapy in skin rejuvenation.

Oh, J Kim, N Seo, S Kim, IH
Laboratory of Cellular Oncology, Korea University Ansan Hospital, Gojan 1-dong, Danwon gu, Ansan, Gyeonggi do 425-707 Korea

BACKGROUND:Nonablative laser therapy is widely practised for skin rejuvenation, which stimulates collagen production and dermal matrix remodelling. Matrix remodelling is primarily modulated by a coordinated action of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) and their inhibitors, but the effects of nonablative lasers on these matrix modulators are not fully investigated.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the changes in matrix modulators, such as MMP-1, MMP-2, MMP-3, MMP-9 and MT1-MMP, and their inhibitors (TIMP-1, TIMP-2 and RECK in particular), after nonablative laser treatments of human facial skin.

METHODS: Twenty-four adult volunteers received a series of four nonablative laser treatments separated by 3-week intervals on facial skin. Two-millimetre skin punch biopsies were obtained at baseline and 3 weeks after the last treatment.

RESULTS: Nonablative laser treatments led to a robust increase in two major dermal matrix components, type I collagen and tropoelastin. Among MMPs tested, levels of MMP-2 mRNA were statistically significantly increased, but the amount of active MMP-2 was rather reduced. More importantly, the expression level of RECK was significantly enhanced by laser treatments.

CONCLUSIONS: Clinical outcomes following nonablative laser treatments may result not only from increased biosynthesis but also from decreased degradation, via an induction of RECK expression, of matrix proteins.

NASA Light-Emitting Diode Technology Brings Relief In Clinical Trials

Jerry Berg
Marshall Space Flight Center, Huntsville, Ala.
(Phone: 256/544-0034)
November 13, 2003
RELEASE : 03-366

A nurse holds a strange-looking device, moving it slowly toward a young patient's face. The note-card-sized device is covered with glowing red lights, but as it comes closer, the youngster shows no fear. He's hopeful this painless procedure using an array of lights will help ease or prevent some of the pain and discomfort associated with cancer treatment.

The youngster is participating in the second phase of human clinical trials for this healing device. The first round of tests, by Medical College of Wisconsin researchers at Children's Hospital of Wisconsin in Milwaukee, was so encouraging doctors have expanded the trials to several U.S. and foreign hospitals.

"We've already seen how using LEDs can improve a bone-marrow transplant patient's quality of life," said Dr. Harry Whelan, professor of neurology, pediatrics and hyperbaric medicine at the Medical College of Wisconsin. "These trials will hopefully help us take the next steps to provide this as a standard of care for this ailment."

The light is produced by light emitting diodes, or LEDs. They are used in hundreds of applications, from electronic clock displays to jumbo TV screens.

LEDs provide light for plants grown on the Space Station as part of commercial experiments sponsored by industry. Researchers discovered the diodes also had many promising medical applications, prompting NASA to fund this research as well, through its Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Ala.

Biologists have found that cells exposed to near-infrared light from LEDs, which is energy just outside the visible range, grow 150 to 200 percent faster than cells not stimulated by such light. The light arrays increase energy inside cells that speed up the healing process.

A Structural Approach to Non-ablative Body Rejuvenation

Neil Sadick, MD, FACP, FAACS, FAAD, FACPh
Clinical Professor of Dermatology, Weill Medical College, Cornell University
Originally printed in:
US Dermatology Review 2006 - December 2005

“The trend in cosmetic surgery and dermatology has been away from ablative, or destructive, processes and toward technologies and techniques that spare tissue and promote growth. Unlike their ablative counterparts, non-ablative treatments require multiple sessions, but are well tolerated and require no downtime. With the increasing amounts of clinical data and scientific studies, the techniques of non- ablative rejuvenation, producing safe and effective treatments for an ever-growing population of aging patients, are being refined.

Red light phototherapy alone is effective for acne vulgaris: randomized, single-blinded clinical trial

Na JI, Suh DH
Department of Dermatology, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.

BACKGROUND:Recently, a demand for safe and effective treatment of acne has been increasing. Although visible light has attracted attention as a new option, the effect of red light alone has not yet been evaluated.

OBJECTIVES: The objective was to assess the efficacy of red light phototherapy with a portable device in acne vulgaris.

METHODS: Twenty-eight volunteers with mild to moderate acne were treated with portable red light-emitting devices in this split-face randomized trial. The right or left side of the face was randomized to treatment side and phototherapy was performed for 15 minutes twice a day for 8 weeks. Clinical photographs, lesion counts, and a visual analog scale (VAS) were used to assess each side of the face at baseline and Weeks 1, 2, 4, and 8, and a split-face comparison was performed.

RESULTS: The percent improvement in noninflammatory and inflammatory lesion counts of the treated side was significant compared to the control side (p<.005). VAS decreased from 3.9 to 1.9 on the treatment side and the difference between the treatment and control sides was significant at Week 8 (p<.005).

CONCLUSIONS: This study shows that red light phototherapy alone can be a new therapeutic option for acne vulgaris.

Anti-inflammatory effects of low-level laser therapy (LLLT) with two different red wavelengths (660nm and 684nm) in carrageenan-induced rat paw edema

Albertini R, Villaverde AB, Aimbire F, Salgado MA, Bjordal JM, Alves LP, Munin E, Costa MS
Instituto de Pesquisa & Desenvolvimento - IP&D, Universidade do Vale do Paraiba - UNIVAP, Av. Shishima Hifumi, 2911, CEP: 12244-000 Sao Jose dos Campos, SP. Brazil

It has been suggested that low-level laser therapy (LLLT) can modulate inflammatory processes. The aim of this experiment was to investigate what effects red laser irradiation with two different wavelengths (660nm and 684nm) on carrageenan-induced rat paw edema and histology. Thirty two male Wistar rats were randomly divided into four groups. One group received a sterile saline injection, while inflammation was induced by a sub-plantar injection of carrageenan (1mg/paw) in the three other groups. After 1h, LLLT was administered to the paw in two of the carrageenan-injected groups. Continuous wave 660nm and 684nm red lasers respectively with mean optical outputs of 30mW and doses of 7.5J/cm(2) were used. The 660nm and 684nm laser groups developed significantly (p<0.01) less edema (0.58ml [SE+/-0.17] ml and 0.76ml [SE+/-0.10] respectively) than the control group (1.67ml [SE+/-0.19]) at 4h after injections. Similarly, both laser groups showed a significantly lower number of inflammatory cells in the muscular and conjunctive sub-plantar tissues than the control group. We conclude that both 660nm and 684nm red wavelengths of LLLT are effective in reducing edema formation and inflammatory cell migration when a dose of 7.5J/cm(2) is used.

Effectiveness of laser photobiomodulation at 660 or 780 nanometers on the repair of third-degree burns in diabetic rats

Meireles GC, Santos JN, Chagas PO, Moura AP, Pinheiro AL
Laser Center, School of Dentistry, Department of Propedeutics and Integrated Clinics, Universidade Federal da Bahia, Salvador, Brazil.

OBJECTIVE:The aim of this investigation was to compare by light microscopy the effects of laser photobiomodulation (LPBM) at lambda = 660 nm and lambda = 780 nm on third-degree burns in diabetic Wistar rats. BACKGROUND DATA: Burns are severe injuries that result in fluid loss, tissue destruction, infection, and shock, that may result in death. Diabetes is a disease that reduces the body's ability to heal properly. LPBM has been suggested as an effective method of improving wound healing.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: A third-degree burn measuring 1.5 x 1.5 cm was created in the dorsum of each of 55 animals, and they were divided into three groups that were or were not treated with LPBM (lambda = 660 nm or lambda = 780 nm, 35 mW, varphi = 2 mm, 20 J/cm(2)). The treatments were started immediately post-burn at four points within the burned area (5 J/cm(2)) and were repeated at 24-hour intervals over 21 d. The animals were humanely killed after 3, 5, 7, 14, and 21 d by an overdose of intraperitoneal general anesthetic. The specimens were routinely cut and stained and analyzed by light microscopy.

RESULTS: We found that healing in the animals receiving 660-nm laser energy was more apparent at early stages, with positive effects on inflammation, the amount and quality of granulation tissue, fibroblast proliferation, and on collagen deposition and organization. Epithelialization and local microcirculation were also positively affected by the treatment.

CONCLUSION: The use of 780-nm laser energy was not as effective as 660-nm energy, but it had positive effects at early stages on the onset and development of inflammation. At the end of the experimental period the primary effect seen was on the amount and quality of the granulation tissue. The 660-nm laser at 20 J/cm(2), when used on a daily basis, was more effective than the 780-nm laser for improving the healing of third-degree burns in the diabetic rats beginning at the early stages post-burn.

Lasers to magic bullets: an updated history of lasers in dermatology

Houk LD, Humphreys T
Department of Dermatology and Cutaneous Biology, Jefferson Medical College of Thomas Jefferson University, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA 19107, USA.