Subjects of recent study reported high satisfaction rates with the treatment results
Wausau, WI (October 24, 2017) – Using lasers to treat acne scars is nothing new, but traditional treatments have resulted in longer healing times and side effects such as skin irritation and hyperpigmentation of darker skin types. In a recent study published in Lasers in Surgery and Medicine (LSM), the official journal of the American Society for Laser Medicine and Surgery, Inc. (ASLMS), the use of a new holographic beam splitter in a picosecond laser was investigated.
The research was conducted by Eric F. Bernstein MD, MSE; Kevin T. Schomacker, PhD; Lisa D. Basilavecchio, RN; Jessica M. Plugis; and Jayant D. Bhawalkar, PhD. Their manuscript titled, “Treatment of Acne Scarring with a Novel Fractionated, Dual-Wavelength, Picosecond-Domain Laser Incorporating a Novel Holograpic Beam Splitter” was selected as Editor’s Choice in the November 2017 issue of LSM.
“This is the first publication demonstrating the effectiveness of a new picosecond-domain (super short pulse-duration), dual wavelength, 1,064 and 532 nm, laser for improving the appearance of acne scarring. This laser uses a novel holographic handpiece to deliver precise beams of very focused laser energy,” said Dr. Bernstein.
The lens array fractionates the laser beam into many focused areas of higher-intensity laser energy, with lower energy zones in between. One theorized benefit of the fractioned beam is to decrease the risk of post-procedure post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation. This study demonstrates that this picosecond-domain, 1,064 nm and 532 nm, Nd:YAG laser, when used with a holographic beam-splitter, is safe and effective for the treatment of facial acne scars.
Eric F. Bernstein, MD, MSE is the director of Main Line Center for Laser Surgery in Ardmore, Pennsylvania and clinical professor of dermatology at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine. He holds 14 US and numerous international patents, has authored over 100 scientific publications, and has given more than 300 presentations worldwide. He received his BS from Duke University, summa cum laude with distinction in his major, and his MD from the Yale University School of Medicine, where he served as banner bearer and class president, and an MSE in management of technology from the Engineering School at University of Pennsylvania, co-administered by the Wharton School.
Editor’s Choice is an exclusive article published in LSM, the official journal of the ASLMS. View the complete manuscript.
The American Society for Laser Medicine and Surgery, Inc. (ASLMS) is the largest multi-disciplinary professional organization, dedicated to the development and application of lasers and related technology for health care applications. ASLMS promotes excellence in patient care by advancing biomedical application of lasers and other related technologies worldwide. Currently, ASLMS has over 4,000 members, including physicians and surgeons representing more than 51 specialties, physicists involved in product development, biomedical engineers, biologists, nurses, industry representatives and manufacturers. For more information, visit aslms.org.