Abstract
Background
The 1,444-nm Nd:YAG laser was developed to improve the removal of fat cells and to affect the underlying dermis with the aim of skin tightening. We conducted this study to evaluate whether this laser is effective in tightening the skin and causing histological alterations to dermal collagen fibers, fibroblasts, mucopolysaccharides, and elastin.
Methods
In a 38-year-old patient who was scheduled to undergo elective abdominoplasty, we subdermally performed laser-assisted treatment with the 1,444-nm Nd:YAG laser using different power settings over periods of 3 months and 1 month and prior to surgery. Postoperatively, we evaluated the skin-tightening effect through histopathologic examination.
Results
On histopathology examination, the thickness of the dermis had gradually increased following the 3-month treatment with laser irradiation. In the treatment groups on the abdomen, the collagen fibers were arranged in a more parallel pattern and became denser than those in the control group. Likewise, fibroblast proliferation and the levels of mucopolysaccharides and elastin were higher in the treatment groups than in the control group.
Conclusions
The 1,444-nm Nd:YAG laser was effective in promoting the remodeling of the dermis and the regeneration of collagen fibers. As such, the 1,444-nm Nd:YAG laser could be used for skin tightening in addition to its function in lipolysis.
Level of Evidence II
This journal requires that authors assign a level of evidence to each submission to which Evidence-Based Medicine rankings are applicable. This excludes Review Articles, Book Reviews, and manuscripts that concern Basic Science, Animal Studies, Cadaver Studies, and Experimental Studies. For a full description of these Evidence-Based Medicine ratings, please refer to the Table of Contents or the online Instructions to Authors www.springer.com/00266.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Mann MW, Palm MD, Sengelmann RD (2008) New advances in liposuction technology. Semin Cutan Med Surg 27:72–82
Reynaud JP, Skibinski M, Wassmer B, Rochon P, Mordon S (2009) Lipolysis using a 980-nm diode laser: a retrospective analysis of 534 procedures. Aesthet Plast Surg 33:28–36
Goldman A, Gotkin RH (2009) Laser-assisted liposuction. Clin Plast Surg 36:241–260
Levi JR, Veerappan A, Chen B, Mirkov M, Sierra R, Spiegel JH (2011) Histologic evaluation of laser lipolysis comparing continuous wave vs pulsed lasers in an in vivo pig model. Arch Facial Plast Surg 13:41–50
Apfelberg DB, Rosenthal S, Hunstad JP, Achauer B, Fodor PB (1994) Progress report on multicenter study of laser-assisted liposuction. Aesthet Plast Surg 18:259–264
Tark KC, Jung JE, Song SY (2009) Superior lipolytic effect of the 1,444 nm Nd:YAG laser: comparison with the 1,064 nm Nd:YAG laser. Lasers Surg Med 41:721–727
McBean JC, Katz BE (2009) A pilot study of the efficacy of a 1,064 and 1,320 nm sequentially firing Nd:YAG laser device for lipolysis and skin tightening. Lasers Surg Med 41:779–784
Holcomb JD (2009) Facelift adjunctive techniques: skin resurfacing and volumetric contouring. Facial Plast Surg Clin North Am 17:505–514
Kim JH, Min KH, Heo CY, Baek RM, Park HJ, Youn SW, Kim EH (2013) Histological evaluation of dermal tissue remodeling with the 1444-nm neodymium:yttrium-aluminum-garnet laser in an in vivo model. J Dermatol 40:706–710
Ichikawa K, Tanino R, Wakaki M (2006) Histologic and photonic evaluation of a pulsed Nd:YAG laser for ablation of subcutaneous adipose tissue. Tokai J Exp Clin Med 31:136–140
Katz B, McBean J, Cheung JS (2007) The new laser liposuction for men. Dermatol Ther 20:448–451
Prado A, Andreades P, Danilla S, Leniz P, Castillo P, Gaete F (2006) A prospective, randomized, double-blind, controlled clinical trial comparing laser-assisted lipoplasty with suction-assisted lipoplasty. Plast Reconstr Surg 118:1032–1045
Collawn S (2010) Skin tightening with fractional lasers, radiofrequency, Smartlipo. Ann Plast Surg 64:526–529
Reszko AE, Magro CM, Diktaban T, Sadick NS (2009) Histological comparison of 1064 nm Nd:YAG and 1320 nm Nd:YAG laser lipolysis using an ex vivo model. J Drugs Dermatol 8:377–382
Goldman A (2006) Submental Nd:Yag laser-assisted liposuction. Lasers Surg Med 38:181–184
DiBernardo B, Sasaki G, Katz BE, Hunstad JP, Petti C, Burns AJ (2013) A multicenter study for a single, three-step laser treatment for cellulite using a 1440-nm Nd:YAG laser, a novel side-firing fiber, and a temperature-sensing cannula. Aesthet Surg J 33:576–584
Sasaki GH (2013) Single treatment of grades II and III cellulite using a minimally invasive 1,440-nm pulsed Nd:YAG laser and side-firing fiber: an Institutional Review Board-approved study with a 24-month follow-up period. Aesthet Plast Surg 37:1073–1089
Mathes SJ, Hentz VR (eds) (2006) Plastic surgery, vol 1, 2nd edn. Saunders Elsevier, Philadelphia, pp 209–217
Acknowledgments
This research was supported by a grant from Lutronic Corporation, Republic of Korea.
Conflict of interest
The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest to disclose.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Min, K.H., Kim, J.H., Park, H.J. et al. The Skin-Tightening Effects of 1,444-nm Nd:YAG Laser on Human Skin: An In Vivo Study. Aesth Plast Surg 38, 585–591 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00266-014-0316-4
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00266-014-0316-4