Presidential Greeting - American Society for Laser Medicine and ...

Results: High improvement by subjective physician evaluation
(5.3–5.4/6.0) and subject evaluation (5.1–5.2/6) were observed
throughout the 6-month evaluation period with minimal severe
adverse events or side effects. Skin elasticity increased at 77% of
treatment sites (63/82 legs) at 2 months, 74% of treatment sites
(62/84 legs) at 3 months, and 73% of treatment sites (48/66 legs) at
6 months. The average skin elasticity index increase for all
treatment sites was 25%, at both 2 and 3 months, and 32% at 6
months (P-value < 0.01), compared to baseline values. Skin
thickness increased in 100% of treatment sites at 2 months (86
legs), 3 months (90 legs) and 6 months (73 legs). The average skin
thickness for all treatment sites was 15% at 2 months, 19% at 3
months, and 22% at 6 months (P-value < 0.01), compared to
baseline values.
Conclusion: A single anatomically based treatment with a
1,440 nm pulsed Nd:YAG laser improves the appearance of
Grade II–III thigh cellulite for at least 6 months with
minimal side effects, associated with statistically significant
positive changes in skin elasticity and dermal thickness.
Additional studies are recommended to further refine the
technique.
#258
American Society for Laser Medicine and Surgery Abstracts 77
#259
FLUENCE DEPENDENCY OF THE 400 NM
ABLATION RATES OF SUPRA AND SUBGINGIVAL
DENTAL CALCULUS
Joshua Schoenly, Wolf Seka, Peter Rechmann
Laboratory for Laser Energetics, University of Rochester,
Rochester, NY; School of Dentistry, University of California at San
Francisco, San Francisco, CA
Background: Near-UV laser-ablation rates of supra- and
subgingival dental calculus are measured as a function of incident
fluence.
Study: A frequency-doubled Ti:sapphire laser (400 nm
wavelength, 10-Hz repetition rate, 60-nanosecond pulse
duration) was used to irradiate 20 human teeth in vitro with
supra- and subgingival calculus at fluences between 1.5 and
8 J/cm 2 . All teeth were irradiated with a 300-mm diameter,
10th-order super-Gaussian beam at an 858 irradiation angle
relative to the tooth surface. The depth and volume of calculus
craters were measured using laser triangulation and monitored
using light microscopy with a flashing blue light-emitting diode
(LED). Removal rates were obtained by irradiation in five-pulse
increments using a shutter control in the laser cavity.
Results: At each irradiation site, the removal rate of subgingival
calculus tends to be linear, whereas the removal rate of
supragingival calculus is more uncertain and often decreases as
the crater deepens even at higher fluence. Linear trends are seen
in depth-removal rates as a function of incident fluence for
supra- and subgingival calculus with slopes of 1.6 and 2.1 (mm/
pulse)/(J/cm 2 ), respectively. Volume removal rates of supra- and
subgingival calculus show a linear, but more uncertain, fluence
dependence of 1.6 10 3 and 3.5 10 3 (mm 3 /pulse)/(J/cm 2 ),
respectively. Fitting these data to an ablation blowoff model result
in an average linear absorption coefficient and fluence ablation
threshold of 1.4 10 3 cm 1 and 1.7 J/cm 2 , respectively, for
calculus.
Conclusion: The removal rates of supra- and subgingival
calculus, on average, linearly increase with the incident fluence.
At each fluence, ablation rates of subgingival calculus more
consistently exhibit linear depth and volume removal compared to
those of supragingival calculus.
LASER HAIR REMOVAL FOR DIVERSE
POPULATION WITH A MULTIPLEX DUAL
WAVELENGTH DEVICE
Emil Tanghetti
Center for Dermatology and Laser Surgery, Sacramento, CA
Background: Single wavelength devices for hair removal have
established a track record for safety and efficacy. The ethnic
make-up and skin types are often dramatically varied in the
United States. The practitioner is often forced to choose between
fixed laser wavelengths for hair removal that are not optimized for
the individual skin type—for example a 755 nm Alexandrite or
1,064 nm Nd:YAG. A device that allows a tailored combination of
the two sources depending on the patient skin type and the
physician’s clinical observations during treatment would allow
customized treatment with improved safety, efficacy and patient
comfort.
Study: Ten female subjects with skin types III–V and aged 20–49
years presented with unwanted axilla hair. Four treatment areas
were defined per person (two treatment areas per axilla). Each
area was treated with one of eight different fluence combinations
using the Elite MPX dual wavelength laser. The Elite MPX is
capable of sequentially emitting energy at two wavelengths 755
and 1,064 nm within the same pulse envelope. The user is able to
change the wavelength order. Fluence combinations included;
100% Alex, 25% Alex followed or preceded by 75% Nd:YAG, 50%
Alex followed or preceded by 50% Nd:YAG, 75% Alex followed or
preceded by 25% Nd:YAG, and 100%Nd:YAG. Fluence
combinations were kept consistent within each treatment area
relative to baseline and were performed at 4- to 6-week intervals.
Patients were treated post operatively with standard care.
Follow-up visits were scheduled at 3 and 6 months post last
treatment.
Results: All 10 patients tolerated the treatment well. There were
no major complications and no injuries. All of the fluence
combinations showed excellent hair clearance at 6 months
following the last treatment. The 100% Nd:YAG achieved slightly
lower clearance (77%) than the dual wavelength combinations and
the 100%Alex (82–89%). Single wavelength treatment with the
Nd:YAG laser was rated as more painful than treatment with the
Alexandrite laser. Dual wavelength treatments with equivalent
fluence were rated as equal or more painful when the Nd:YAG
pulse preceded the Alexandite pulse.
Conclusion: The dual wavelength Elite MPX allows for
customized wavelength combinations depending on the patient’s
skin type and the physician’s observations. The laser shows
promising results for improved patient comfort while maintaining
high level of safety and efficacy.
#260
EVALUATION OF ER:YAG LASER GINGIVAL
TREATMENT USING LASER DOPPLER
FLOWMETRY
Carmen Todea, Dorin Dodenciu, Cosmin Balabuc,
Laura Filip, Mariana Miron, Diana Lungeanu
University of Medicine and Pharmacy of Timisoara, Timisoara,
Romania
Background: This study was performed in order to investigate
the outcome of Er:YAG laser gingivectomy in comparison with the
conventional treatment. Laser Doppler Flowmetry was used for
healing process evaluation.