The Fotona Dynamis SP laser is an erbium-based (Er:YAG) laser that can perform in fully ablative mode or a fractional laser resurfacing mode for skin rejuvenation or scar revision treatments. The erbium laser has a wavelength of 2940nm which is specifically attracted to the water in the skin. It ablates a very thin layer of skin with each pass (the number of passes removed is determined by Dr Omarjee) and this helps to resurface the skin to reduce wrinkles, pigmentation, acne scarring, stretch marks and remove superficial skin lesions.
The first step involves a thorough consultation with Dr Omarjee, who will conduct a thorough medical history and examination of your skin and listening to your concerns. This initial step is to assess if you area a suitable candidate for erbium laser resurfacing for skin rejuvenation or scar revision. Thereafter, if appropriate a treatment plan that can improve your skin is developed.
The Fotona erbium laser is more appropriate for fairer skin types who have sun damage skin changes, mild to moderate skin wrinkles or acne scarring (indentations). Patients with darker skin types (olive or darker) tend to have more complications (e.g. develop hyperpigmentation (increased) or hypopigmentation (decreased), or scarring).
Patients who are pregnant or breastfeeding, have keloid scarring (present or past) or been on Vitamin A acne medications (e.g. Roaccutane) in past 6 months are contraindicated for ablative erbium laser resurfacing treatments.
Dr Omarjee will discuss your treatment in detail and describe any preparation prior to your scheduled Erbium laser resurface treatment. This may include skin preparation with topical Retinoids (vitamin A) or hydroquinone (depigmentation agent) for a few weeks prior to laser treatment. This preparation is either to improve the results of the laser treatment or reduce risks associated with laser resurfacing (e.g. Post inflammatory hyperpigmentation).
It is important to know that erbium-based laser resurfacing treatments have a more prolonged downtime than non-ablative laser treatments (e.g. Fraxel laser). On average, expect to have redness and swelling for several days. Then some crusting occurs. This can last 1-2 weeks dependent on the settings used for the laser treatment. It is not unusual to have ongoing redness for 1-month post treatment if higher settings are deemed appropriate for your laser treatment.
Whether choosing ablative (Erbium) versus non-ablative laser (Fraxel) or full ablative or fractional laser resurfacing depends on the patient’s expectations of results, downtime, skin type and colour, and the skin issue we are addressing.
When treating sun damage and/or superficial wrinkles on the skin, the Er: YAG laser can usually address these imperfections with 1-2 treatments. The skin tends to have a smoother texture and a glow post treatment. There is a recovery phase of approximately 5-10 days dependent on laser settings for the desired aesthetic improvements, which is accelerated with carefully chosen post erbium laser skincare. The results from this treatment can be for over 1 year with sun protection and other anti-ageing habits.
For treating problematic acne scarring, the Fotona’s Erbium laser wavelength (Er: YAG) is ideal for ablative scar revision. The Er: YAG laser can safely and effectively provide desired penetration depth required resurfacing of acne scarred skin, aiming for improving skin texture and tone. Unlike chemical peels and dermabrasion, the laser skin resurfacing allows the penetration depth to be precisely controlled. The Erbium laser gently vaporizes micron-thin layers of the acne scarred surface to reveal healthy, undamaged skin below.
The DOC Cosmetic & Skin Clinic is fortunate to have the novel Fotona F-22 Er: YAG scanner handpiece. The F-runner is a computer-controlled scanning device, specially developed to administer fractional erbium treatments with unrivalled precision and accuracy. It allows Dr Omarjee to treat all types of acne scars and customize the depth of penetration, the degree of heat placed within the skin in a fractional computerized scanning mode in a precise manner.
Treating acne scars is a challenging skin problem, but with patience and a tailored treatment plan, improvements can be achieved over time. Treating acne scars is usually a combination treatment process, which may include Erbium 2940nm laser, Fraxel 1550nm, Secret RF micro-needling, subcision, TCA cross, dermal fillers, or other modalities. Some treatments may attract Medicare refunds, dependent on Medicare eligibility criteria.
