YTF Cosmetic Surgery Patient Network  

 
NLite Non-ablative Laser

• Introduction: Inventing a Bigger and Better Laser?

• What Is NLite?

• How Does NLite Work? 

• How Long Does My Body Keep Producing Collagen?

• Am I a Candidate for NLite?

• Does NLite Hurt?

• How This Procedure is Performed

• The Road to Recovery 

• How Long Does The Improvement Last? 

• Frequently Asked Questions About NLite

• Risks & Complications Of NLite

• The Least You Need to Know 

• Related Links 

• Talk About NLite On Our Facial Surgery Message Board! RECOMMENDED
  

Introduction:  Inventing a Bigger and Better Laser?
If you are like me, the redness, weeping and peeling of a standard laser procedure sounds pretty scary.   Although, thousands of patients safely undergo CO2 laser treatments every year -- if you had a choice to have no downtime, weeping or peeling, would you take it?  Most of you are probably nodding your heads.

What Is NLite?
ICN Pharmaceuticals' NLite is a class IV medical, non-ablative HeNe, flashlamp pumped, pulsed-dye LASER, specifically designed for non-ablative removal of rhytids, or static wrinkles, and collagen rejuvenation- - not filling out excess skin. You're probably thinking, okay well what in the world does ablative mean, much less non-ablative. Ablative lasers are more damaging and invasive -- they remove quite a chunk of your skin in order to resurface it -- actually removing all or most of the wrinkle along with it's surrounding skin plus stimulating collagen under the wrinkle.  Whereas, the yellow light of NLite passes right through the skin without damaging, thereby stimulating your own dermis to produce its own natural collagen. 

The NLite machine was patented in 1996 after more than 5 years of  research by a British Professor,  Professor Marc Clement et. al. (his team) Much excitement is felt with the production and FDA approval on Sept. 6, 2000 of the NLite Laser as wrinkles are diminished, or remove" entirely, not by invasive, actual removal of your skin, but rather with your own collagen production from the inside out!  However, the results do vary and not everyone is reporting significant improvement.

Here is an explanation I gave on our Facial Plastic Surgery Message Board that best described NLite, as well as the difference between NLite and the CoolTouch 1320 laser, after a doctor told a patient who visited the site that NLite and nd:YAG lasers were the same thing -- they are NOT the same thing, read below:

The Cool Touch 1320 Laser is technically a thermescent Nd: YAG 1320 LASER. The NLite is technically a class IV medical, non-ablative HeNe, flashlamp pumped, pulsed-dye LASER

the CoolTouch 1320 will do about the same thing BASICALLY as an NLite lasing device BUT it is far from an NLITE laser.

The NLite is a pulsed-dye and the1320 is a nd:YAG

They are both considered non-ablative as in they should not cause resurfacing or removal of epidermal layers but rather stimulate your fibroblasts (collagen) by triggering a thermal wound response.

All in all they can't say they are the same thing because they are not. The 1320 uses a blast of cryospray to keep your epidermal tissues and fluid from coagulating and being damaged but the NLite needs no blast of coldness to protect the epidermis because the epidermis is not heated as highly as it is with the 1320 and the NLite laser light passes through the epidermis.

How Does NLite Work?
The gentle, yellow light of the NLite laser penetrates the epidermis (the skin's surface) and heats up the dermis (subcutaneous tissue) thereby stimulating your body's fibroblast production: 

WHEN it works, the fibroblasts (collagen) actually builds up as it once was and the wrinkles are filled in from within. Resulting in a more youthful appearance.

How Long Does My Body Keep Producing Collagen?
It is reported in the majority of patients that your body's fibroblast stimulation lasts for approximately one month.  This means that your body will continue to produce collagen for 30 days in which you should begin seeing the results in about 4 weeks.  Of course your body does not continue growing collagen indefinitely; the new collagen is then treated as existing collagen and is subject to the same aging qualities as the rest of your body. 

Are You a Candidate for NLite?
If you have wrinkles that you are just not thrilled with, including crow's feet, or glabella (frown) lines, you may be a candidate for NLite if you do not match the following list (below).  Even though there is no actual burning or removal, excision -- care would be taken regardless if you are of an ethnic background such as African- American, Italian or Asian, etc. Just to be on the safe side I suggest a spot test before undergoing complete full facial or even partial treatment, just to be sure that you will not develop hyper or hypo-pigmentations, keloids or other lesions.

But on the lighter side, NLite is considered gentle and for most persons a spot test is usually unnecessary.  Please discuss this with your surgeon or dermatologist at your consultation to determine if he or she finds its necessary.

*Also, you should NOT have a NLite treatment on the affected area if you have the following:

• Undiagnosed lesions
• Recent herpes outbreaks
• Warts
• Active, weeping acne (stages 3-4)
• Active Rosacea
• Unstable diabetes
• Auto-immune system disorders

Also, static wrinkles (wrinkles created by facial movements such as smiling) are what can be treated successfully in most patients.  Not building up or filling out excess skin, such as the upper eyelid crease. Blepharoplasty can correct that -- my friend/NLite technician pointed out that people don't go around getting "fillers" for their eyelids.  The excess skin must be removed.  The NLite is for rebuilding collagen in the fissures created from frowning, squinting, smiling, etc. Although other treatments such as Intense Pulsed Light Therapy can tighten the epidermis somewhat.

Does NLite Hurt?
NLite has not been reported to actually cause pain -- rather a warm sensation with an occasional sting or pin-prick. If you are more sensitive than most perhaps you could inquire about Liquidcaine liquid topical anesthesia.  This is an odorless, non-stinging liquid used during a procedure. It numbs the area within 90 seconds of application. It can be used for sunburn, laser surgery and micropigmentation as well.  Although this is really unnecessary.

How This Procedure Is Performed
A session can last from 15 minutes to an hour depending upon the area requiring treatment.  Laser light is very harmful to the eyes so your doctor will provide you with special protective eye wear.  Some look like goggles, others like the little tanning bed glasses and still others look like modified metal spoons.  Do NOT remove the protective eyewear until you are told it is safe to do so. Removal of the eyewear or sneaking a quick peek at the laser light can severely damage your eyes.  The actual upper eyelid is not treated, more the upper section of the upper eyelid, under the brow- - to where your orbital bone is.  The lower lid can be treated up to almost the lash line.

The wand is placed over the area to be treated and the yellow laser light is delivered along the full length of the rhytids (wrinkles) or fissure (crack in the dermis and fatty layer, usually a stretchmark or extreme dynamic wrinkle).  And that is it -- your own body does the rest!  You can reapply your make-up and go back to work, if  need be, There may be edema (swelling), but it is reported as rare.  If you do notice swelling, gentle icing will alleviate this and any possible post-op discomfort.

The Road To Recovery
Since the NLite laser is considered very mild and low energy -- there should be no abrupt redness, bruising, blistering or peeling. Y ou may be a little pink or swollen but mild icing can remedy this.  Laboratory-based studies in the past 5 years, have concluded that within 72 hours after your first session, the treatment areas' collagen synthesis actually doubles!  "The study reported that application of the laser parameters described enhances collagen production by an average of 84%, measured 72 hours after a single laser treatment." (Summary by Patrick K. Lee, M.D.) Although this may not be the case for every patient -- it is shown in 90% of cases.  Your very own collagen continues to restore itself to it's natural state and youthful vigor for several months.  This translates into a gradual improvement of  fissures and rhytids in the following months, peaking at 4 months post-operative.

Typically, the results are seen at 4 weeks and are optimum at 3 to 4 months.  It was initially reported that additional sessions may be obtained at 2 months following the first session to increase the improvement or thereafter to maintain the improvement.  But now due to tests and findings in the U.K., physicians in the U.S. are leaning towards treatments at 2 week intervals. Which I found VASTLY different from the studies and abstracts which claimed that treatments more frequent than at 2 month intervals could possibly compromise the collagen production.  So which is it?  This is why it is so very important to have time under a product's belt.  But unfortunately the only way to gain that experience is through testing, trial and error - on us.  After speaking with Mark Taylor, executive vice president of ICN, he advised that studies in the UK did, indeed, show that repeat sessions at 2 weeks post showed great improvement within the patient.  I wish they would have originally reported this as I don't know how this can change, because it can't.  It just wasn't noted improperly.  As an explanation, I am told that the U.S. is more conservative than other countries. Ya think?

regardless of when,. how often, etc... Does it work?  I don't know from personal eperience and I don't rely on hearsay -- I just listen to it. When I receive a treatment and note changes I will definitely let all of you know. The NLite Laser reportedly helps thicken the underlying dermis and collagen network under the first few layers of skin to actually plump it out and restore its youthful texture.  Let's hope it works around my eyes because I have quite a few wrinkles under them. 

It must be mentioned that the thin-skinned areas like the eyelids (although not the skin that lies directly over the eyeball) and backs of the hands may need more than one treatment and remember it is quite possible that if your skin is very thin, there may not be any improvement whatsoever.

How Long Does The Improvement Last?
It is reported that your wrinkles will "fade to a more youthful appearance with an improvement in skin tone after 1-2 months with best results seen by the third month."  As well as, "Scientific studies have demonstrated an 85% increase in collagen production and up to a 65% reduction in wrinkle depth after one treatment."  It is suggested that additional treatments can only improve the results or maintain them.  The skin will thicken and the youthful appearance will return. (*translated from the French Dermatology website - www.laserbleu.com)

So how long does it last?  Well the collagen created from the thermal wound response is not a super-collagen, if you will.  It is to be considered of the same cloth as any other collagen in your body and will be subject to aging and photodamage just as if it were never treated.  Although this new collagen will have a head start over the untreated areas.  To increase its longevity you should cover up when going into the sun to prevent sun damage as well as wear a quality pair of sunglasses (I recommend Revo) to block UV and decrease glare so you don't squint thereby decreasing your chances of getting static wrinkles before your time.  As well as decreasing the reoccurrence of static wrinkles.

It is reported that too frequent treatments can actually cause the collagenation to cease so that the optimal results are not achieved.  So, not only is it wasting money if you get them every 2 weeks, you aren't getting what you could with less treatments.

Risks & Complications Of NLite
Although no risks or complications are reported, care should be taken to advise your doctor of any sensitivity to heat or burns as well as ethnicity in your family (Italian, Greek, African- American, etc.)  There is always the possibility that you may develop temporary or even permanent hyperpigmentation as well as the occasional, slight blister.  Also the possibility of eye damage resulting from laser exposure to the eye itself.

Remember that if the NLite tech or physician turns up the laser too much you can get purpura [: any of several hemorrhagic states characterized by patches of purplish discoloration resulting from extravasation of blood into the skin and mucous membranes], bruising and edema from the trauma - The goal of the procedure is to produce a thermal wound response, not harm your epidermis as well.

Does It Work?
Please visit our Facial Plastic Surgery Message Board to speak with real patients who have undergone NLite.  Some report good results and would do it again, while others report no change at all.

The Least You Need to Know

• NLite is a class IV medical LASER, specifically designed for non-ablative removal of rhytids, or wrinkles, and collagen rejuvenation.

• The yellow light of NLite passes right through the skin without damaging, thereby stimulating your own dermis to produce its own natural collagen. 

• NLite Laser was FDA approval on Sept. 6, 2000 to reduce the look of  wrinkles and stimulate your own collagen production.

• NLite is considered gentle and for most persons a spot test is usually unnecessary. Please discuss this with your surgeon or dermatologist at your consultation to determine if he or she finds its necessary.

• You should NOT have a NLite treatment on the affected area if you have undiagnosed lesions, recent herpes outbreaks, warts, active, weeping acne (stages 3-4), active Rosacea, unstable diabetes, or auto-immune system disorders.
• NLite has not been reported to actually cause pain -- rather a warm sensation with an occasional sting or "pin-prick"
• Laser light is very harmful to the eyes so your doctor will provide you with special protective eye wear.
• NLite laser is considered very mild and low energy -- there should be no abrupt redness, bruising, blistering or peeling. You may be a little pink or swollen but mild icing can remedy this.
• Typically, the results are seen at 4 weeks and are optimum at 3-4 months. It is reported that additional sessions may be obtained at 2 weeks following the first session to increase the improvement or thereafter to maintain the improvement.
• There are no risks or complications reported if performed correctly, although care should be taken to advise your doctor of any sensitivity to heat or burns as well as ethnicity in your family (Italian, Greek, African- American, etc.). There may be the occasional blister, mild pinkness or swelling.
• It must be mentioned that the thin-skinned areas like the eyelids and backs of the hands may need more than one treatment and remember it is quite possible that if your skin is very thin, there may not be any improvement whatsoever.

Related Links (all links leading outside the site will launch a new window)
NLite Laser Home (with NLite Surgeon List)