Canfield News

The significance of Shallow Thermal Effects from a laser on Collagenous Fibrous Septae and Reticular Dermis

  • October 15, 2009

Currently, internal laser-assisted lipolysis (iLAL)1-7 represents an evolving innovative technique that enhances the results over standard liposuction by providing selective thermo-lipolysis and thermo-denaturation of structural proteins in collagen-containing fibrous septae and reticular dermis. Of the two effects, the singular advantage of iLAL resides its ability to deliver sufficient and controlled thermal energy in a dose-response manner for collagen denaturation (water), collagenesis, remodeling and promotion of tissue tightening through coagulation. To date there have been no objective studies that quantify the relationship of lower dermal temperatures to surface skin temperatures that results in measurable shrinkage of tissue areas. This limited clinical study attempts to correlate changes in abdominal skin contraction achieved as a consequence of laser heating from a 1064nm/1320nm device during each phase of the procedure to delineate what contribution, if any, each heated layer provides to skin contraction. The objective observations were correlated to histological findings.