In recent years, Fractional Lasers have become the most effective treatment methods used by dermatologists in the treatment of blemishes, skin cracks and wrinkles, as well as all kinds of scars such as acne scars, burn scars, surgical scars. These lasers have also shown great improvement in the past years.
Previously, lasers used for scar treatment used to peel off the entire surface. Therefore, although the effect was good, there would be too many side effects. Healing periods that can last for months and the problems of spotting while healing prevented this method from becoming widespread. Thanks to the search for treatment that heals faster and has fewer side effects, fractional therapy has emerged. Fractional lasers are lasers that peel the entire surface in the form of intermittent dots, leaving solid areas in between. Since the damage is microscopic, it heals quickly and minimizes the side effects.
Fractional lasers differ in the type of laser light they use. These lasers, which we can group into two main groups as erbium fractional lasers and CO2 fractional lasers, can also offer very different results from each other according to their features.
CO2 fractional lasers: CO2 (carbon dioxide) lasers can reach deep into the skin even in a single shot, due to the wavelength they use. It also triggers skin regeneration due to thermal damage to the tissue. In this way, it can give effective results in scars and wrinkles. However, due to its high thermal effect, the healing process may be delayed and staining may occur.
Erbium fractional lasers are divided into two groups as Er:Glass and Er:YAG lasers. The first to come out were the Er:Glass lasers. However, it has not become widespread due to its inability to reach deep into the skin. Er:YAG lasers, on the other hand, have become increasingly widespread due to the fact that they can reach effective depths and have much less side effects than CO2 lasers.
In Which Areas Is Erbium Yag Fractional Laser Used?
1. Skin Rejuvenation, facial rejuvenation: Removal of wrinkles and lines on the face, neck and décolleté areas are the areas where it is used most effectively. In addition, removal of fine wrinkles, removal of deep lines and facial rejuvenation give successful results.
2. Scar Treatment:It is a powerful and most effective treatment method for acne scars and pits, scars and burn scars and skin cracks on the face, back and chest.
Acne scars are classified into two main groups as superficial and deep. Superficial acne scars are scars that affect the upper layer of the skin. These scars are seen as light pits and collapses on the redness floor. Superficial acne scars can usually be destroyed by superficial skin peeling methods such as chemical peeling, but the treatment of non-healing acne scars is easily possible with fractional laser.
Removal of large-pored and coarse appearance of the skin. Reduction of excessive connective tissue (hypertrophic scar) and keloids is possible with fractional lasers.
3. Other Application Areas:
Treatment of precancerous skin lesions (Bowen’s disease, Paget’s disease, Queyrat’s disease, leukoplakia)
Treatment of skin cancers (BCC, SCC)
Treatment of mass skin lesions on the skin (dermal nevus-mole, senile keratosis-senile mole, HPV-flesh moles, nevus sebaceous, milium, syringoma, dermatofibroma, chondrodermatitis, epidermal nevus, cyst, neurofibroma, trichoepithelioma, etc.)
Treatment of mass lesions in the hair, eyebrows and bearded area
Pyogenic granuloma treatment
Rhinophyma treatment
Treatment of congenital or acquired moles
Treatment of cholesterol plaques (xanthelasma) on the eyelids
Treatment of masses formed in places such as hands, feet, genital area (verruca-wart, condyloma?)
In fractional laser applications:
Fair skin tones are ideal cases for fractional lasers. However, it can also be used in dark-skinned patients. It can be used on the neck, trunk and arms other than the face.
Some patients may experience discomfort during the application. This discomfort is easily relieved with local anesthetic creams or cold air blowers.
There may be a slight redness and edema after the procedure. There may be slight peeling and tanning on the skin. However, such situations regress within 3-7 days.
In fractional laser treatments are done in sessions. Depending on the type of complaint, 3-5 sessions can be done at intervals of 2-4 weeks.
Situations where fractional laser should not be applied:
Oral isotretinoin should not be used within 6 months.
There should be no active infection of the skin.
It is not applied to pregnant people.
It does not apply to patients with unrealistic expectations.
Care after fractional laser application:
Complaints after the operation are mild and temporary. A feeling of sunburn may be felt for a few hours after the procedure.
After the treatment, it should not be washed for 24 hours and make-up should not be applied for 3 days.
Light moisturizers can be applied after fractional laser.
If there is facial edema, cooling with ice packs may be helpful.
Sunscreen should be used for 3-4 weeks after fractional laser.
