The highlight of this month was spent at Central Dermatology Clinic learning about the latest addition to the CDC laser family, the Picoway, a laser that transforms skin from the inside out. I am so excited to share this new technology with you and what it can treat.
Did you know that nearly 40% of those with acne have some degree of scarring? Many acne scars result from a loss of collagen in the skin. Millions of people each year seek treatment for their wrinkles. Wrinkles can be caused by a loss of collagen and elastin in the skin.
All PicoWay treatments use a picosecond laser which utilises high power and the shortest laser pulses available. A picosecond is a trillionth of a second! The ultra-short pulses are important because they lead to a “photoacoustic” effect that avoids heating the skin rather than a photothermal (or heat) approach that heats the skin and can lead to side effects, such as downtime and scarring.
The PicoWay laser reaches under the skin for its impact, leaving the outer layer of the skin intact. The ultra-short pulses vaporize their targets before the skin has the chance to overheat. Targets can be pigment from a tattoo, melanin in the skin that causes dark spots, or areas in the dermis (a layer under the outer skin) where tiny spaces can be created to allow room for new collagen and elastin growth in the treatment of acne scars and wrinkles.
Because PicoWay uses ultra-short laser pulses, the result is a laser that has low to no downtime after treatment. Users can resume normal activities and even apply makeup over acne scar or wrinkle treated skin within a day of treatment.
PicoWay Resolve is a non-invasive, needle free treatment option for wrinkles. Resolve uses ultra-short laser pulses to reach under the skin, without breaking the outer layer of the skin. Picosecond lasers are proven to stimulate collagen and elastin. The laser beam in PicoWay Resolve is formed from the same beam-type used in the PicoWay Zoom handpieces, but it is split into over 100 identical beams, or beamlets. These beamlets reach below the skin’s surface in areas that are spaced evenly apart.
Because the laser is so fast and powerful, it leads to tiny areas under the skin vaporizing using a non-thermal (not heating) effect, called a “photoacoustic” effect. Tiny open spaces are created under the skin that are then filled in over time with the growth of new collagen and elastin. PicoWay literally works from the inside out. The treatment does not cause the outer layers of the skin to break, so patients enjoy low to no downtime after treatment. In clinical studies, 94% of treated areas improved and patients were highly satisfied with results.
Skin discoloration is common, yet treatable. Dark spots, or benign pigmented lesions, such as freckles, liver spots (age spots), and café-au-lait (brown patches), appear in many people on different areas of the skin. Some spots are related to excessive sun exposure. Others, like melasma, can be caused by hormone changes, often impacting women following pregnancy. Many of these skin discolorations can be distressing and affect quality of life. The Zoom handpieces of PicoWay target pigment in the skin.
Pigment can naturally formed, caused by too much melanin in the skin. This appears as dark spots on the skin that can either be seen at birth or form over time from sun damage (sometimes called sun spots), aging, or even be a result of medical conditions (such as melasma). Pigment can also be added to the skin, in the form of ink in a tattoo. In either case, the PicoWay laser targets the pigment and shatters it into tiny particles that are no longer seen through the skin.
PicoWay is a high power lower with ultra short pulses that shatters tattoo ink, but leaves the outer layer of the skin intact. PicoWay treats a wide range of tattoo colors across a broad range of skin types.
As with all laser treatments preconditioning with a cosmeceutical skin care range is an important prerequisite to achieving outstanding results no matter what your skin concern is.
We are proud to provide excellence in skin care support to this incredible technology with the aliange skincare range. The Revitalise, Purity and Speciality range are used for preconditioning the skin and also for maintaining the ultimate skin health for life!
Call Central Dermatology Clinic on 07 5345 5150 if you would like to book a personalised consultation with me about your skin health goals.
