Skin Toning Laser

The skin toning laser is an extension of the traditional 1064-nm neodymium-doped (Nd):YAG spot removal laser. It mainly utilizes the selective photothermal and photoacoustic advantages of laser energy, and by the proper adjustment of laser energy and change in probe irradiation area, it enables the specific 1064-nm wavelength of superior skin penetrability to homogenously emit laser photothermal energy at the dermal layer, which accelerates epidermal keratin metabolism, stimulates collagen reproduction, promotes melanin metabolism, and elevates skin immunity and hydration function, thus achieving the purpose of shrinking pores, refining skin, smoothing fine lines, and lightening black spots. This skin toning laser is used in noninvasive laser surgery and does not directly damage the skin epidermis but gradually solves and eliminates the original problems from the deep layer. Despite leaving no visible wound or scar on the patient’s face, it usually requires several courses to achieve distinct and stable skin improvement. In terms of treatment technique and objective, the skin toning laser is available in the following two treatment models:

Carbon powder laser

This is commonly called dark porcelain doll laser and is an advanced application model of the toning laser. Regarding the procedures, a thin layer of medical nano carbon dust (also called carbon mask or powder) is applied to the patient’s face before laser emission, and then, the minute carbon molecules penetrate into the pores and deep sebaceous gland layer. Next, 2–4 rounds of laser treatments of different energies are given to knock and excite the carbon melanin infiltrated into the pore periphery, which instantly shrinks pores and collagen, thus rapidly shrinking pores, cleaning acnes, removing aged keratoderma, inhibiting sebaceous secretion, tightening the skin, and accelerating dark spot metabolism.

The carbon dust laser is primarily aimed to improve oily skin, rough skin, and pore obstruction. It is mild and does not require recovery time compared with common tartaric acid skin peel and does not have any risks of darkening. However, the carbon dust laser belongs to a progressive skin rejuvenation treatment, and initially, treated patients should undergo 4–6 sessions, once every 3-4 weeks, to attain stable and obvious improvement. To sustain long-term effects, patients also undergo maintenance treatment once every 2-3 months at the end of treatment, which offers caring and preventive functions. Moreover, concerning complicated skin problems, other cocktail phototherapies may be necessary between or after sessions to obtain complementary and multiplicative results.

柔膚雷射治療-探粉雷射

Carbon-laser skin rejuvenation remains to be the fastest treatment to refine pores.

General instructions

Preoperative

  • Do not take or apply any tartaric acid or retinoic acid or receive other laser treatments for 1 week preoperatively.
  • It is forbidden in patients with acute pimples (acnes), inflammation, or infection symptoms.
  • It is forbidden in patients with light sensitivity.

Postoperative

  • Avoid sun exposure or sunlight bath and other SPA during treatment sessions.
  • Increase skin moistening care for 1 week postoperatively.
  • Retinoic acid may be resumed after 1 week.
  • Enhance routine sun and ultraviolet screening during and after the treatment.
  • Avoid eat high-fat, spicy, or fried food after the operation.

Ideal candidates

  • Patients with coarse pores
  • Those with hyper-secretion of skin sebaceous glands
  • Those with chronic pimples or comedones
  • Those with dark discolored skin or black spots of different shades
  • Those with skin fine lines or laxity

Potential Complications

  • Temporary rash
  • Pore clogging
  • Skin redness
  • Pruritus
  • Desquamation

Treatment advantages

  1. It requires little to no recovery time and has little or no side effects. It has an extremely high safety.

  2. It is able to effectively inhibit sebaceous secretion and improve oil production or pore coarseness.

  3. It is able to rapidly remove comedones and alleviate pore clogging or pimples.

  4. It is able to stimulate collagen production and restore skin elasticity and hydration.

  5. It is able to accelerate keratin metabolism, smooth fine lines, and regain sleek and delicate skin

  6. It is able to speed up melanin metabolism and gradually lighten black or color spots .

  7. Long-term application enhances skin immunity and lymph metabolism and prevents black spot deposits or growth.

Treatment drawbacks

  1. Treatment session is relatively long (approximately 6 months).

  2. Results of spot lightening are less obvious than those of the spot lightening laser or pulsed light.

  3. Durability of results may differ along with individual diets, caring, or lifestyle.

  4. Temporary pore clogging or rash may occur after the operation.

  5. Coarse pores may recur due to the lack of postoperative care.

  6. Allergy to carbon dust may occur.

Skin purification laser

This is also called white porcelain doll laser and is a fundamental model of the toning laser. Mainly based on the selective photothermal and microexplosion properties of the Nd:YAG laser, it reaches the dermal layer via the highly penetrative light with a wavelength of 1064nm to blast and shatter the melanin spots, which are then absorbed by human phagocytes and gradually metabolized outside the human body; the laser treatment is thus able to treat facial melanin of different color shades. Besides specific treatment of black spots, the skin purification laser also effectively stimulates the rejuvenation of skin collagen and elastic fibers via thermal effects to improve skin elasticity, smooth fine lines, increase skin tone, and shrink pores.

The skin purification laser has milder energy and excitation light spots than the traditional spot removal laser, so no wound or scar will be left postoperatively, and it is suitable to patients predisposed to skin darkening. However, its results are slow to emerge, and generally, 8–12 treatments are needed to fully eradicate various pigment spots, which should be conducted regularly once every 2-3 weeks; otherwise, the results will be indistinct. Besides, the skin purification laser does not require a carbon mask as the thermal energy transmission medium required in the carbon dust laser, so pore shrinkage is less significant than the latter. Therefore, it should be primarily used as a noninvasive spot lightening laser integrating preventive and caring efficacies rather than for the treatment of black spots.

General instructions

Preoperative

  • Do not take or apply any tartaric acid or retinoic acid or receive another laser treatment for 1 week preoperatively.
  • It is forbidden in patients with acute pimples (acnes), inflammation, or infection symptoms.
  • It is forbidden in patients with light sensitivity.

Postoperative

  • Avoid sun exposure or sunlight bath and other SPA during treatment sessions.
  • Increase skin moistening care for 1 week postoperatively.
  • Resume retinoic acid resumed after 1 week.
  • Enhance routine skin sun and ultraviolet screening during and after the treatment.
  • Try to not eat high-fat, spicy, or fried food after the operation.

Ideal candidates

  • Patients with various types of skin pigments or spot deposits
  • Those without skin elasticity or luster due to collagen loss
  • Those with skin fine lines or coarse pores
  • Those having uneven skin color with darkening or yellowing
  • Those unaccustomed to traditional spot removal laser or predisposed to darkening

Potential complications

  • Temporary rash
  • Skin redness
  • Pruritus
  • Desquamation

Treatment advantages

  1. It is a noninvasive spot removal laser treatment and no risk of postoperative scarring or darkening.

  2. It has no recovery time and produces no side effects; it has an extremely high safety.

  3. It is able to speed up the deep melanin metabolism and gradually lighten black or color spots.

  4. It is able to stimulate collagen production and restore skin elasticity and hydration

  5. Able to accelerate keratin metabolism, smooth fine lines, and regain sleek and delicate skin.

  6. It is able to effectively shrink pores and inhibit sebaceous secretion.

  7. Long-term application enhances skin immunity and lymph metabolism and prevents black spot deposits or growth.

Treatment drawbacks

  1. Treatment session is relatively long (approximately 6 months)

  2. Results of spot lightening are less significant than those of the traditional spot removal laser.

  3. Results of black spot lightening and durability may differ with individual diets, caring, or lifestyle.

  4. Less specific in the treatment of pores than the carbon dust laser

Comparison between carbon powder laser and skin purification laser

Carbon powder laser Skin purification laser
Ideal candidates Patients with coarse or clogging pores and sebaceous hyper-secretion Patients with facial pigments or spots of different shades, darkening, or fine lines
Treatment objective Shrinking pores Lightening spots
Treatment device 1064-nm Nd:YAG spot removal laser 1064-nm Nd:YAG spot removal laser
Treatment principle Micro-explosion of epidermal melanin via thermal absorption of carbon powder Deep epidermal layer and dermis
Photothermal media Medical nano carbon powder mask No
Number of courses 4–6 times 8–12 times
Treatment interval 3-4 weeks/ time 2-3 weeks/time
Skin wound No (noninvasive) No (noninvasive)
Treatment characteristics Primarily shrinking pores and inhibiting sebaceous secretion Lightening spots, toning skin color, and recovering skin elasticity
Spot removal results No Show gradually
Pore shrinkage Show rapidly Relatively insignificant
Skin whitening Indistinct Good
Pain Low Low
Recovery time No No
Re-darkening risk No No