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Chap. 46 - ER:YAG

from PART FOUR - COSMETIC APPLICATIONS OF LIGHT, RADIOFREQUENCY, AND ULTRASOUND ENERGY

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  06 July 2010

Sorin Eremia
Affiliation:
University of California, Los Angeles, School of Medicine
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Summary

The Er:YAG laser emits a monochromatic wavelength of infrared light at 2,940 nm, which closely approximates the major peak absorption of water near 3,000 nm. In the water-rich epidermis, laser energy is immediately absorbed, yielding precise tissue ablation with minimal thermal diffusion.

Erbium lasers may be categorized based on their pulse durations, or the time during which cutaneous tissue is exposed to laser energy. Thermal diffusion and collateral spread of laser energy are directly proportional to longer pulse durations.

The short-pulsed erbium laser was initially approved by the Food and Drug Administration in 1996 for skin resurfacing as an alternative to the carbon dioxide laser, with the benefits of a shorter recovery period and fewer side effects. With pulse intervals in the microsecond range, effective tissue ablation with minimal collateral damage is safely achieved. Quality-switched (or Q-switched) erbium lasers were also developed with ultrashort pulse durations in the nanosecond range. As a downside, little to no thermal coagulation or tissue contraction occurs with either the short or ultrashort pulse durations due to minimal spread of thermal energy. However, variable-pulsed erbium lasers were recently developed with longer pulse durations, in the millisecond range, with thermal diffusion of laser energy falling somewhere between the traditional erbium and CO2 lasers. Longer pulse durations permit a wider spread of thermal energy, resulting in thermal coagulation of collagen and tissue contraction – an advantage when resurfacing beyond the epidermis.

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Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2010

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References

Avram, DK, Goldman, MP. The safety and effectiveness of single-pass erbium:YAG laser in the treatment of mild to moderate photodamage. Dermatol. Surg. 2004;30:1073–6.Google ScholarPubMed
Katri, KA, Ross, V, Grevelink, JM, Magro, CM, Anderson, RR. Comparison of erbium:YAG and carbon dioxide lasers in resurfacing of facial rhytides. Arch. Dermatol. 1999;135:391–7.Google Scholar
Pozner, JN, Goldber, DJ. Superficial erbium:YAG laser resurfacing of photodamaged skin. J. Cosmet. Laser Ther. 2006;8:89–91.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Tanzi, EL, Alster, TS. Single-pass carbon dioxide versus multiple-pass Er:YAG laser skin resurfacing: a comparison of post-operative wound healing and side-effect rates. Dermatol. Surg. 2003;29:80–4.Google ScholarPubMed

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  • ER:YAG
  • Edited by Sorin Eremia, University of California, Los Angeles, School of Medicine
  • Book: Office-Based Cosmetic Procedures and Techniques
  • Online publication: 06 July 2010
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511674839.047
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  • ER:YAG
  • Edited by Sorin Eremia, University of California, Los Angeles, School of Medicine
  • Book: Office-Based Cosmetic Procedures and Techniques
  • Online publication: 06 July 2010
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511674839.047
Available formats
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Save book to Google Drive

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Google Drive.

  • ER:YAG
  • Edited by Sorin Eremia, University of California, Los Angeles, School of Medicine
  • Book: Office-Based Cosmetic Procedures and Techniques
  • Online publication: 06 July 2010
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511674839.047
Available formats
×