Histopathology of laser skin resurfacing

Sharon L. Thomsen M.D.; Bonnie Baldwin; Eric Chi; Jeff Ellard; Jon A. Schwartz

doi:10.1117/12.275056

22 May 1997 Histopathology of laser skin resurfacing

Sharon L. Thomsen M.D., Bonnie Baldwin, Eric Chi, Jeff Ellard, Jon A. Schwartz

Proceedings Volume 2970, Lasers in Surgery: Advanced Characterization, Therapeutics, and Systems VII; (1997) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.275056
Event: BiOS '97, Part of Photonics West, 1997, San Jose, CA, United States

Abstract

Pulsed carbon-dioxide laser skin resurfacing is a purportedly 'non-thermal' procedure enjoying wide application as a cosmetic treatment for skin wrinkles. Treatment success has been based on clinical assessments of skin smoothness. Skin lesions (1 cm²) created by one, two or three superimposed carbon-dioxide laser passes were placed on the backs of 28 'fuzzy' Harlan Sprague Dawley rats. The variable laser irradiation parameters included measured energies ranging from 112 to 387/pulse with pulse widths of 65 and 125 microseconds and a repetition rate of 8 Hz. The square, flat laser beam measured 3 mm² at the focal point. The lesions were collected from 0 to 10 days after treatment for qualitative and quantitative histopathology. Thermal damage and treatment effect tended to increase in severity and, to a lesser extent, depth with increased delivery parameters. In acute lesions, the vacuolated and fragmented, desiccated and thermally coagulated epidermis was partially removed exposing the underlying thermally coagulated dermal collagen and cells. Epidermal and dermal necrosis and slough occurred between 24 to 72 hours after treatment. Epithelial regeneration originated from the adnexa and the lesion edges. Dermal fibrous scar formation began at 5 days below the regenerated epidermis and became more prominent at 7 and 10 days.

Citation Download Citation

Sharon L. Thomsen M.D., Bonnie Baldwin, Eric Chi, Jeff Ellard, and Jon A. Schwartz "Histopathology of laser skin resurfacing", Proc. SPIE 2970, Lasers in Surgery: Advanced Characterization, Therapeutics, and Systems VII, (22 May 1997); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.275056

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