Article Index
Tissue Shrinkage and Skin Elasticity with Smartlipo
Methods
Technique
Results
Discussion
Conclusion
References
All Pages

Introduction

Lasers utilized for emulsification of fat and coagulation of small blood vessels in conjunction with lipo-aspiration have provided a new approach to body contouring. Papers by Ichikawa1, Badin2 and Goldman3 substantiated the lipolysis and coagulative effect of the Nd:YAG laser through histologic analysis of irradiated fat and tissue sections.

 

No studies to date have included quantifiable data in order to measure the effects of subdermal application of laser energy on skin elasticity and skin tightening through tissue coagulation.

Theoretical analysis has been derived from literature regarding the external application of 1064 nm and 1320 nm wavelengths and the clinical and histological effects of fibroblastic activation and stimulation of new collagen formation5. Cytokines and growth factors released by inflammatory cells are thought to correlate with increased collagen production6.

The laser can initiate a wound healing response which increases collagen type I and III concentrations. Dang et.al found that 1064 irradiated skin resulted in increased synthesis of collagen type III, while skin treated with the 1320 nm laser had a greater increase of collagen type I due to photothermal effects on the irradiated tissue. In addition, the 1320 nm wavelength had a high scattering coefficient allowing dermal remodeling to occur through increased collagen I deposition with collagen reorganization into parallel arrays of compact fibrils6.

Trelles6 also investigated the histological changes in human skin 6 weeks after 8 treatments with the 1320nm Nd:YAG laser and observed an increase in the number and density of collagen fibers, indicating some compaction in the remodeling process, less interfibrillary space, and good linear orientation of the fibers parallel to the dermoepidermal junction.

Cynosure recently released the Smartlipo MPX laserwhich sequentially fires 1064nm and 1320nm wavelengths. Based on the wavelength absorption properties, the Smartlipo MPX laser produces a blended thermal photomechanical effect that effectively liquefies fat and coagulates tissue. Thus the combination of wavelength energy achieves maximized results of both removal of adipose tissue and skin tightening through tissue coagulation7. See Figure 1.

The objective of this study was to gather and analyze data in order to quantify the amount of tissue shrinkage (reduction of area) and skin elasticity as a result of the effects of a dual wavelength lipolysis laser applied subdermally.