Combination radiofrequency and diode laser for treatment of facial rhytides and skin laxity.

PURPOSE As the demand for noninvasive procedures to address cutaneous aging issues has increased, novel nonablative lasers and radiofrequency (RF) devices have recently emerged. The objective of this study was to evaluate the safety and efficacy of a combination RF/diode laser device designed to target both skin laxity and facial rhytides. Materials and methods. Twenty patients (skin phototypes I-III) with mild to moderate rhytides and skin laxity received three treatments at 3-week intervals with a combined radiofrequency and diode laser system (Polaris WR(TM), Syneron Medical Ltd, Israel). Clinical improvement was determined through masked assessments by the treating investigator and two independent assessors after each treatment session, and at 3 and 6 months after the final treatment using a quartile grading scale (1<25%; 2 = 25-50%; 3 = 51-75%; 4>75% improvement). Patient satisfaction surveys were also obtained at end-study. RESULTS Modest improvement in facial rhytides was observed in the majority of patients as evidenced by investigator and independent assessor evaluations. Patient satisfaction surveys reflected the clinical improvements observed. Side effects were mild and limited to transient erythema and edema. No scarring or pigmentary alteration was seen. CONCLUSIONS The Polaris WR(TM), which sequentially delivers radiofrequency and diode laser energy, is safe and effective for treatment of mild to moderate facial rhytides and skin laxity. Multiple treatment sessions and laser passes were well tolerated by patients due to the minimization of individual optical and radiofrequency energies used.