INTRODUCTION
Fractional non-ablative lasers have become increasingly popular over the last few years to improve the appearance of skin rhytides, texture, dyspigmentation, and scarring. Traditional ablative laser resurfacing can involve significant downtime of about 14 days comprising erythema, dyspigmentation, pain, and a more labor intensive postoperative wound care regimen. Fractional treatment to the face or décolleté has an improved side effect profile which includes a decreased downtime of approximately 3-7 days, less pain, erythema, and dyspigmentation. Postoperative wound care regimens also tend to be less labor intensive due to the overall decreased side effect profile compared to fractional or fully ablative lasers.1 However, additional improvements in recovery times, healing outcomes and symptomatology are still being sought by patients and clinicians particularly as many of these procedures are repeated as a series. In this regard, continuing to enhance the patient experience and decreased downtime are important parameters to treatment continuity and patient satisfaction. The proprietary procedural enhancement system (PES) is a kit that includes a series of topical skincare products containing an innovative blend of peptides and other ancilliary actives (TriHex Technology™, Alastin Procedure Enhancement Invasive System, ALASTIN Skincare™, Inc., Carlsbad, CA) that clear the extracellular matrix and stimulate the skin to produce new collagen and elastin. Tripeptide, hexapeptide, and other important actives in the PES also have antioxidant properties to decrease inflammation and irritation resulting in an accelerated epidermal healing process. In addition, the skin bed preparation pre-treatment regimen used for a period of two weeks prior to the procedure is expected to optimize procedure healing and outcome. The PES may therefore shorten downtime following fractional non-ablative laser resurfacing treatment to the face or décolleté. Additionally, there may be a cumulative effect with neocollagenesis and elastogenesis to improve overall skin quality.2-3
MATERIALS AND METHODS
The objectives of this study were to evaluate the initial healing time and symptomatology with a new pre/post-laser resurfacing topical PES (Gentle Cleanser, Regenerating Skin Nectar with TriHex Technology™, Ultra Nourishing Moisturizer with TriHex Technology™, Soothe + Protect Recovery Balm, Broad Spectrum 30+ Sunscreen) following Fraxel® Dual Skin Resurfacing treatment to the face or décolleté compared to a basic regimen (Aquaphor™, Cerave™ cleanser, Vanicream™, Alastin Broad Spectrum 30+ Sunscreen). This was assessed over the two week post-laser follow-up period.This was a comparative split face/décolleté investigator-blinded randomized clinical study with a single study site. Ten (10)
