Nonablative laser treatment of wrinkles: meeting the objective? Assessment by 25 dermatologists

Summary Background Established skin resurfacing methods causing superficial wounds and extended recovery times have become less popular since the introduction of nonablative lasers. Objectives To evaluate the clinical efficacy of a nonablative 1450-nm diode laser system. Methods Nine patients (Fitzpatrick skin type II–IV) with periorbital wrinkling class I–II were treated three times at 3-weekly intervals with a 1450-nm diode laser. Clinical outcome was determined by 25 independent dermatologists evaluating standardized photographs taken before treatment and 1 month after treatment. Results The patients were satisfied with the procedure, and reported a mild to moderate improvement in all cases. Among 25 dermatologists, only two provided ratings which were significantly in favour of a positive treatment effect. Conclusions Nonablative laser treatment subjectively satisfies patients but does not convince objective judgement.