Picosecond laser with specialized optic for facial rejuvenation using a compressed treatment interval

Studies using a 755 nm picosecond laser with a focus lens array have been reported to be effective for facial wrinkles and pigmentation. This study reports the safety and efficacy using a shorter interval of 2–3 weeks between treatments. Nineteen female subjects and one male subject, primarily Fitzpatrick skin types II and III (one skin type I), who had mild to moderate wrinkles and sun‐induced pigmentation were enrolled and treated using the 755 nm PicoSure Laser with focus lens array. The skin was cleansed then wiped with an alcohol wipe prior to treatment. Lidocaine 30% ointment and/or forced air cooling could be used to increase subject comfort. Adjacent pulses, with minimal overlap (10% or less), were delivered to the full face. Subjects received four treatments, performed at 2–3‐week intervals. The laser energy used was 0.71 J/cm 2 . The physician administered 3–7 passes with an average total of 6,253 pulses per treatment. Follow‐up visits occurred at 1 and 3 months post‐last treatment at which the physician scored satisfaction and improvement and subjects scored satisfaction and likelihood to recommend to others. The most common side effects were mild swelling, pain, redness, and crusting, most of which subsided within hours of the treatment, with the latest resolving within 48 hours. This is similar to a previous reported study (Weiss et al. ASLMS 2015) where treatments were performed every 6 weeks with side effects resolving within 24 hours. At the 1 and 3 month follow‐up visits, 94% ( n = 19) and 93% ( n = 15) of subjects scored themselves as satisfied or extremely satisfied with their overall results and 81% and 93% were likely to recommend the treatment based on global assessment, respectively. The treating physician was satisfied with 93% of subject's overall results. Three blinded evaluators were able to correctly identify the baseline from post‐treatment photographs in 77% of the subjects at the 1 month follow‐up and 69% of the subjects at the 3 month follow‐up, on average. The average treatment pain score was 4.2 on a 1–10 scale. A compressed treatment interval expedites results without increasing side effects and resulted in a high physician and subject satisfaction rate. Lasers Surg. Med. 48:723–726, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.