Treatment of facial rhytides with a nonablative 1,450-nm diode laser: a controlled clinical and histologic study.

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the safety and effectiveness of a nonablative 1,450-nm midinfrared diode laser in the treatment of facial rhytides. METHODS Twenty-five patients (skin phototypes I-III) with mild-to-moderate perioral or periorbital rhytides received four successive treatments at 3- to 4-week intervals with a 1,450-nm diode laser (SmoothBeam; Candela Corp., Wayland, MA). Symmetrical matched areas were left untreated to serve as controls. Patients were evaluated with digital photography at each treatment session and at 1, 3, 6, and 12 months after the final laser treatment. Skin biopsies were obtained from treatment and control facial sites for histologic evaluation before treatment, immediately after the first treatment, and 3, 6, and 12 months after the fourth treatment. Patient satisfaction scores were obtained at each follow-up visit. RESULTS Mild to moderate improvement in treated facial rhytides was observed in all patients. Increased dermal collagen was seen 6 months after four successive treatments. Patient satisfaction scores paralleled the photographic and histopathologic changes seen. Side effects were limited to transient erythema, edema, and postinflammatory hyperpigmentation. CONCLUSION The nonablative 1,450-nm diode laser is safe and effective for the treatment of mild-to-moderate facial rhytides.