Background: A new method in treating facial rhytides and acne scars with nonablative resurfacing has recently been introduced that selectively heats the upper dermis, inducing a wound healing response in the papillary dermis and upper reticular dermis without epidermal ablation. Recent histologic studies have shown that removal of the epidermis and portions of the dermis is not required for neocollagenesis and collagen remodeling. The Altus Cool Glide Vantage Excel laser has a wavelength of 1064 nm, and is capable of penetrating deep into the dermis. The purpose of our study was to evaluate the safety and efficacy of the Altus Cool Glide Vantage laser for subsurface remodeling in the treatment of patients with facial rhytides and acne scarring. Study Design: Sixteen adult subjects with skin type I-IV, and with class I-II facial rhytides or mild to severe acne scarring were included. Each patient received 4 treatments at 2-week intervals with 1064 nm Altus Cool Glide Vantage laser (5 mm spot size, 0.3 ms, 13-20 J/cm 2 , and repetition rate of 5-7 Hz). Each area to be treated received multiple passes, with the total number of pulses based on the size of the area to be treated. Fluences and repetition rate were adjusted at the investigator's discretion. Follow-up visits after the last laser treatment were at one month and four months. Clinical assessment included standardized photography, patient questionnaires, histologic studies. Skin surface texture was evaluated with the Primus 3-D imaging system. All information was obtained prior to each laser treatment and during the follow-up evaluation.
Conclusion:
The Altus Cool Glide Vantage Excel laser produced substantial improvement of facial rhytides and acne scarring with minimal adverse effects.