Skin Tightening is performed by an aesthetician under the direct supervision of a physician. Laser Skin Tightening treatments don’t usually require much down time for recovery. These procedures are usually performed in monthly intervals, with results seen gradually over several months. It is important to obtain “before” photos of the intended treatment area(s) before the procedure, with subsequent photos taken immediately prior to performing each consecutive treatment. A final results photo should be taken one month after completion of the treatments, giving the patient a visual progress chart of their improvements.

Skin Tightening Devices

The source of energy used to produce thermal damage can be either radio waves, infrared light, lower wavelength laser or any combination of the three. The intention is to stimulate increased collagen production.

Light wavelengths, specifically in the infrared spectrum, are successfully used to promote tightening of the skin by heating the dermis. This in turn initiates the body’s natural healing response. This manner of treatment is called “selective thermal damage”. When the dermis becomes “damaged”, the body will begin to heal itself by encouraging additional collagen production and the remodeling of the collagen that already exists in the tissue. As the layer of collagen builds upon itself, the underlying tissues of the skin contract, resulting in a tighter appearance to the skin. The majority of infrared devices deliver their light source in one grid. This results in a large area of controlled thermal damage. The Palomar LuxDeepIR Fractional is one device on the market that delivers light in an array of columns into the target area of tissue and leaves the surrounding areas untouched. The company says that this type of technology reduces patients’ pain and also promotes quicker healing time as the new developing areas of collagen can attach to and build upon the untouched areas. When using the radio frequency devices, there also is a variance from one source of energy to bipolar devices constituting two wavelengths.

Why is collagen important to Laser Skin Tightening?

Collagen is a protein in the skin that provides an important structural component. Large amounts of collagen are stored in the dermis and collagen fibers build a supportive mesh that maintains the texture, strength and resilience of skin. collagen fibers start to break down as we age and the epidermal layer gets thinner, causing skin to sag and wrinkles to form. Fibroblasts can produce more collagen fibers, But our ability to do so decreases as we age.

Expected Results

Although not comparable to plastic surgery, on average, the most dramatic results of laser skin tightening treatments are seen in the neck and jaw line where the dermal layer is thinner. However, results are not seen until months after one treatment or more. Results are also varied depending on differences in skin texture and thickness and a patient’s lifestyle (alcohol, smoking, sleep patterns). Each device states different claims of how painful the procedure is, so some patients may choose to use a topical anesthetic or an analgesic to decrease pain. Side effects may include edema, erythema, or skin blanching immediately following treatment. Rarer side effects of skin tightening may include blistering, skin depressions and even slight pigment changes.

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