The three pieces of acne: acne, acne marks, acne pits, of which acne is annoying, acne marks are very difficult to deal with, and more desperate than them, in the face of the firm unwilling to go down the gully acne pits, in the end, how to these "youthful pits" to fill back?
First of all, let's review the knowledge: acne scarring, there are mainly atrophic scars (concave down) and hypertrophic scarring (convex out) two kinds. The more common type of atrophic scar, which is actually what we often call acne pits, can be categorized into three types: ice-pick, compartmentalized, and rolling.
Commonly used treatments for acne pits include chemical peels, fractional lasers, dermal separations, microdermabrasion, and fillers, with combinations being more effective than single treatments because of the different types of scarring that are often present. (Don't ask why there are no skin care products recommended, the effect of skin care products to get rid of acne pits is really minimal.)
Fractional laser treatment, which is called by some people as "acne pits," not as painful as laser grinding, but the effect is also very absolute, and today into the world of fractional laser to understand the next.
Fractional laser
Acne scar repair, pore size reduction. Fractional laser is a mode of laser emission that disperses an otherwise aggregated spot into dozens to hundreds of tiny focal spots, with trace segregation of thermal damage promoting collagen proliferation, which in turn reduces the thermal damage to the skin from the treatment.
Fractional lasers are used to treat depressed scars that appear after acne, and can also be used to improve stretch marks as well as surgical scars, traumatic scars, and to minimize pores. Each treatment takes only a few minutes to ten minutes and does not affect work or study. Fractional laser is based on focal photothermal effect, the use of some special technical means (scanning hand tool or lens, etc.), so that the laser emits a lot of the same diameter and size of the tiny beams of light beams acting on the skin to form a lot of consistent size, uniform arrangement of micro-thermal damage zone, while the beams of light around the tissues have no damage.
As the fractional laser treatment will only cover part of the skin tissue, the newly punched holes will not overlap each other, so part of the normal skin to be retained, accelerate the recovery, and start tissue repair, collagen reorganization and other series of skin reaction, fresh collagen reproduction and regeneration of the skin becomes tight and glossy, pigmentation dispersed, wrinkles reduced, scarring smooth.
What are the skin problems for which Fractional Laser can be used?
Fractional laser can be used for a wide range of skin problems, such as acne pits, keloid scars, hyperplastic scars, persistent scars, traumatic scars, surgical scars, and atrophic scars, etc.; enlarged pores; wrinkles, stretch marks, and swelling lines; common warts, wart-like nevus, spider nevus, sweat duct tumors, vitiligo, eczema, and amyloidosis, and skin baldness. amyloidosis, pemphigus and other diseases of adjuvant therapy.
This is a process of thermal damage and post-damage repair, which prompts regeneration of dermal tissue, synthesis of new collagen fibers, and collagen remodeling, thus improving acne scarring. Fractional laser is mainly suitable for the treatment of superficial scars, atrophic scars, as well as enlarged pores, acne pits and acne marks, and is also useful for improving stretch marks.
Price
The reference price is about 1500-8000 yuan a time, depending on the region, the doctor, the equipment, the role of the different areas, the price will also vary. Generally do not have to pick a specific season for fractional laser treatment, spring, summer, fall and winter.
Classification
According to the degree of intensity of the laser's absorption of water and whether or not it produces gasification of the skin tissue, it can be divided into exfoliative (gasification-type) fractional laser and non-exfoliative (non-gasification-type) fractional laser.
When the laser beam irradiates the skin to form a columnar area of thermal denaturation, it is called a non-exfoliative fractional laser. If the final formation is a true aperture, it is called an exfoliative fractional laser.
Exfoliative fractional lasers
Exfoliative fractional lasers mainly include carbon dioxide fractional lasers (10,600 nm) and bait fractional lasers (2,940 nm).
Among them, the CO2 fractional laser has the strongest thermal effect and is more effective in treating acne pits. The process is like stamping a "checkerboard grid" on the face, also similar to a stupid camera/printer.
The advantage of peeling fractional laser is that the effect is significant and long-lasting, you can feel the obvious improvement of acne pits in a single session, but you still need to adhere to the treatment several times in order to have a better effect, a course of treatment is about 4-5 times, with an interval of 1-2 months.
But the adverse reactions are not quite a lot, the common ones are erythema, edema, crusting and scaling. Epidermal regeneration usually occurs within 48 days and recovery usually occurs within 5-7 days, but side effects such as abnormal pigmentation, scarring, herpes simplex virus reactivation, and itching may occur.
Non-exfoliative fractional lasers
Non-exfoliative fractional lasers mainly include Er: glass (1550 nm, 1540 nm), Nd: YAG (1064 nm, 1440 nm, 1320 nm), Er: Fiber lasers (1410 nm), as well as ruby laser (694 nm), and thulium fiber lasers (1927 nm).
A study on the efficacy of non-ablative fractional lasers in the treatment of different types of acne scars showed that they were the most effective of the three types of box scars, followed by roller scars.
Non-exfoliative lasers cool the epidermis and heat the dermis without damaging the epidermis, reducing the incidence of adverse reactions to a certain extent, and are gentler, safer and less invasive, with epidermal regeneration completed within 24 hours. The recovery period is also shorter (usually 1-3 days), and you can go out and see people after resting at home for a while.
However, the efficacy of non-ablative fractional lasers is relatively less significant, and generally requires more frequent treatments of about 5 or 8 times, with an interval of 3 or 4 weeks. It has been observed that the results after 3 months of treatment are more significant than after 1 month of treatment.
Contraindications & Disadvantages
Contraindications
People with active infections (mainly herpes virus infections), recent sun tanning (especially within 4 weeks), people with an active inflammatory response in the skin, and people with impaired skin barriers (e.g., increased skin sensitivity). The skin barrier is compromised in people with increased skin sensitivity, suspected malignant lesions in the treatment area, organic lesions in vital organs, and pregnant and breastfeeding women.
Unsuitable people
People with untreated acne (it would be a shame to have acne afterward).
People with a history of poor wound repair, keloids, post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation, and people who have already had other means of medical aesthetics (e.g., other types of lasers, chemical peels, etc.) performed on the same area.
What types of acne pits can be treated with a fractional laser?
① Acne pits that are shallow, van-like, roller-like acne pits
Both non-peeling fractional lasers and peeling fractional lasers can treat them.
Non-exfoliative fractional laser can promote the formation of new collagen, and less pain, usually 5 8 treatments, 3 4 weeks interval, using multiple rounds of treatment.
Peelable fractional lasers also stimulate new collagen formation and results can be seen after a single treatment. 3 or more treatments result in at least 50% improvement in more than 55% of patients, with new collagen synthesis still occurring 1 year after treatment.
② Deeper pimples, ice-pick pimples
Only peelable fractional lasers can treat them, and they often require higher energy for better results. Currently, 4 or 5 treatments are used, spaced about 3 months apart.
What do I need to do before treatment?
Without contraindications to fractional lasers, avoid sun exposure for a month before the procedure and apply sunscreen as a precaution.
What is the aftercare for Fractional Laser?
Three points of treatment, seven points of maintenance, after the fractional laser, is not everything is fine, after the treatment of kung fu is not less.
1 3 days after the treatment: skin redness and swelling gradually subsided, the surface began to scab, pay attention to do not rub hard. Avoid touching water until the scab is completely formed (about 1 3 days). After the scab is formed, you can use water to wash your face, but avoid the water temperature being too hot, and wash your face gently, avoid rubbing, and use mild restorative skincare products.
4 6 days after the treatment: the skin began to peel off the scabs, pay attention not to pick the scabs off in advance with your hands, to let it fall off naturally. Avoid make-up (including sunscreen/isolation/foundation) until the scabs have completely fallen off, and use sun hats, sunglasses, umbrellas, etc. to cover up on a daily basis; avoid strenuous exercise. If necessary, use topical medications for 7 days as directed by your doctor. Avoid the use of scrubs and exfoliating products for 2 weeks after treatment.
The key point: after treatment, we should pay attention to strict sun protection, it is recommended to go out to use umbrellas, sun hats, sunglasses, and can choose physical sunscreen-based sunscreen cream / milk.
Will fractional laser treatment make the skin thinner and thinner?
All laser programs will briefly stimulate the skin, but fractional laser is not grinding, as long as you follow the doctor's instructions to do a good job of post-procedure care, and so after the recovery period, the skin automatically repaired, the stratum corneum will only be thicker and healthier than before, and will not appear the so-called thinning phenomenon.
Can I do fractional laser for sensitive skin?
It is possible, but the recovery period will be relatively long. Since the skin barrier repair of sensitive skin is different from that of the general population, sensitivity symptoms may worsen for a short period of time after treatment, but with proper skin cleansing and moisturizing care plus medication, it will heal as soon as possible.
Is the thicker the scab better? What should I do if I have a breakout?
The scabs are not as thick as they are. Depending on the pattern of the fractions and the depth of the treatment, the degree of exfoliation of the epidermis of the skin will be different, and the reaction of the scab will also be different. Additionally, with wet healing, scabbing is reduced and the experience and comfort is improved.
Postoperative transient papules will resolve spontaneously in 3 or 4 days, and larger inflammatory papules can be treated symptomatically, such as spot application of fusidic acid.
What is the relationship between Fractional Laser and CO2 Fractional Laser?
In the family of fractional lasers, there are erbium lasers of 2940nm, erbium glass lasers of 1550nm, lasers with wavelengths of 1320nm, 1440nm, and 2790nm. There are also radiofrequency fractions that are not lasers, but also take fractional technology.
The 10600nm CO2 fractional laser is the big brother of fractional lasers, and the CO2 fractional laser is the gold standard for treating millions of pimples.
How to take care of the fractional laser?
1. Cool down after laser treatment, use medical ice packs for 30 minutes;
2. Avoid water for 24 hours after treatment, you can apply growth factors; starting on the 2nd day after treatment, you can use cold mineral water to clean the skin, and cold compresses with collagen masks;
3. The traumas will be crusted in 3-5 days or so, so don't force the scabs to peel off;
3. The trauma will be crusted in 3-5 days or so, so don't force the scabs to peel off.
4. 2 weeks after laser surgery, try to avoid outdoor flow, strict sun protection. Afterwards, if the skin is dry, you can use spring water to rehydrate, mild hypoallergenic skin care products to moisturize;
5. After treatment, eat less spicy and stimulating food, avoid drinking alcohol; you can eat more vegetables, fruits and other foods high in vitamin C content;
6. After laser treatment, some people will have a temporary return to the black phenomenon, the time to fade will vary from person to person, but it will usually fade, do not worry about it too much.