Full-Face Nonablative Dermal Remodeling with a 1320 nm Nd:YAG Laser

BACKGROUND: Full-face laser-induced dermal remodeling has traditionally involved ablative methods with their associated complications and limitations. Rhytide improvement requires, among other things, dermal collagen remodeling. Such remodeling has been shown to occur without the requirement of epidermal ablation. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the investigator's objective and patient's subjective improvement seen after full-face treatment with a 1320 nm Nd:YAG laser. METHODS: Ten patients with class I-II rhytides and Fitzpatrick skin types I-II were treated five times over 3-4 week intervals with a 1320 nm Nd:YAG laser. Patients were evaluated for degree of clinical improvement 6 months after their final treatment. RESULTS: All 10 subjects reported subjective improvement in the quality of their skin. Only six subjects were felt by the investigator to show definitive clinical improvement. Six-month posttreatment biopsies showed evidence of new collagen formation. CONCLUSION: Irradiation with 1320 nm Nd:YAG laser can lead to new collagen formation and associated clinical improvement. Such full-face improvement can occur without epidermal ablation.