Clinical experience in skin rejuvenation treatment in Asians using a long-pulse Nd:YAG laser.

J Cosmet Laser Ther. 2009 Jul 22; 1-5Chiba C, Usui A, Hara H, Ishi YBackground: The long-pulse Nd:YAG laser is a versatile, effective and safe treatment modality for skin rejuvenation, in addition to the treatments of telangiectasia and laser hair removal. Objective: To evaluate the clinical efficacy and safety of a long-pulse Nd:YAG laser for skin rejuvenation in Japanese patients. Methods: A total of 19 female Japanese patients with Fitzpatrick skin types III or IV were treated for improving their wrinkles, skin texture, and skin laxity with a repetitive painting motion technique. Results: Of 19 patients, 10 showed good or superior results in their faces with minimal discomfort after two to seven treatments every 3-4 weeks. Improvement was also observed in wrinkles and skin laxity as well as skin texture and fine lines. An increase in the density of collagen fibers in the papillary dermis was observed histopathologically. Conclusion: The long-pulse Nd:YAG laser with a minimal down time technique should be considered as a treatment modality in Asian women. Further studies are necessary to determine more optimal treatment parameters, without compromising patients' comfort.