Focal point technology promising in evolution of laser-based skin treatment
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Key takeaways:
- Sequelae such as hyperpigmentation is common among laser-treated patients, especially those with skin of color.
- Focal Point Technology avoided such sequelae.
A new laser system called focal point technology was able to deliver a high level of energy to the skin while avoiding sequelae, according to a study.
“A major limitation of selective photothermolysis when treating targets in the dermis is that melanin in the overlying epidermis absorbs light across a broad optical spectrum, causing epidermal injury and resulting in decreased treatment efficacy,” Dieter Manstein, MD, PhD, assistant professor at Harvard Medical School and principal investigator of his own research lab at the Cutaneous Biology Research Center, and colleagues wrote. “Injury to the epidermis and the dermal-epidermal junction can cause potential side effects including pain, blistering, inflammation, depigmentation and/or post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation.”
While many techniques have been implemented to reduce these problems, epidermal damage remains a major limitation when treating patients with skin of color regardless of whether an ablative or nonablative laser is used, according to the authors.
In this study, Manstein and colleagues looked into the outcomes of a new laser system called focal point technology, which employs the use of a highly focused, high numerical aperture laser beam that is capable of precise depth control as well as simultaneous imaging and rapid scanning over large areas of skin.
After treating 21 patients with this technique, results showed that the laser may have potential to be effective by delivering a high level of energy without subsequent adverse events such as hyperpigmentation.
Treated skin did experience patterns of thermal injury which varied with laser parameters, but these injuries were on a micro scale.
Overall, the authors found that focal point technology is a promising laser-based skin treatment and offers benefits of lesion depth control, treatment customization, deeper coagulation zones and sequelae avoidance.
As this study was simply a concept and practice of Focal Point Technology, the authors plan to explore this therapy in further clinical studies.
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