Background: The 1064 nm Q-switched neodymium-doped yttrium aluminum garnet (QS Nd:YAG) laser was developed to treat unwanted pigmentation in the skin such as lentigines caused by photoaging, and tattoos from dye/ink insertion. This laser has also been used for non-ablative epidermal rejuvenation (skin toning).
Objective: To evaluate changes in skin tone, skin texture and overall improvement after a series of treatments with the QS Nd:YAG laser.
Methods: Participants received seven full-face treatments with M22 or Stellar M22, a 1064 nm QS Nd:YAG laser, at 2-week intervals. The investigators and participants evaluated the improvement in skin tone and texture at 1, 3 and 6 months after the last treatment. Patient satisfaction, patient discomfort, downtime and adverse events were recorded. Histological changes in the treated area were also evaluated.
Results: Thirteen women with a median age of 45 years (range, 34-61 years) were included in the study. The majority of the participants (53.9%) had skin type VI. One month after the last treatment session, 38% of participants reported good to very good improvement. This value increased to 100% participant improvement at both the 3-month and 6-month follow-up visits. The reduction in melanin index and the histological analysis demonstrated that the laser procedure contributed to a reduction in epidermal melanin content. Treatments were not associated with high levels of pain or discomfort. The most common immediate post-treatment response was erythema and edema. Most participants were satisfied with the resulting treatment outcome.
Conclusion: Skin treatment with the 1064 nm QS Nd:YAG laser module on the M22 and Stellar M22 devices, using a large spot size, low fluence, moderately high repetition rate, improves skin tone and texture in patients with skin types II-VI.
Keywords: Nd:YAG laser; dark skin types; facial aging; laser toning; melanin; pigmentation.