skin

Laser Icon: Treatment of skin imperfections

By stimulating the production of collagen, the laser Icon attenuates the signs of aging and restores the skin's suppleness and elasticity while limiting the risk of social eviction. Treatments using Icon laser obtains significant results on the color, the texture of the skin as well as on the cutaneous tension.

Icon laser treatment effectively removes pigment spots, erases acne scars, significantly reduces wrinkles and fine lines on the face, and reduces stretch marks in the stomach, buttocks, and thighs. It also helps treat vascular cutaneous lesions.

Laser Icon's action on the skin

Developed by Cynosure, the leading American laboratory in the field of medical-aesthetic lasers, the Icon system combines two different lasers:

Laser Icon Max G

The Laser Icon Max G uses an exclusive technology based on Optimized Pulse Light (OPL)

New reference in the management of vascular lesions, the Laser Icon Max G can treat facial veins with great efficiency thanks to two superimposed filters allowing a more precise absorption by the patients. Vascular targets that energy delivered uniformly.

Thanks to its double emission spectrum (500-670 nm and 870-1200 nm), the Icon laser is effective for the different types of vascular and pigmentary treatments of the skin of the face, the cleavage and the back of the hands.

Icon 1540

The Icon 1540 laser offers a non-ablative fractional treatment (no crust) for skin resurfacing, treatment of surgical scars, acne, stretch marks, melasma.

It works deeply in the dermis without risk of skin burns (crusts), where the efficiency is maximum on the production of elastic fibers. The thermal action of the laser causes an inflammatory reaction that promotes the production of elastin and collagen by the body. Improved texture, color and skin tension are achieved.

The laser focuses on the superficial and middle dermis, while preserving the epidermis by a cooling system. This prevents social eviction (lasting redness or desquamation), often caused by chemical peels (exception PRX-T33 peel) to achieve the same type of result.

Laser Icon From the the American Laboratory Cynosure

Face Diagnostic Consultation

To help you deal with the signs of facial aging and help you determine if a laser treatment meets your needs and expectations, we offer a face diagnostic consultation.

During this personalized diagnosis, an in-depth assessment of the skin of your face will allow you to develop a customized therapeutic protocol.

> Presentation of the Icon laser system on Cynosure's website

Revitalizing facial skin, reducing wrinkles

Icon laser treatment is indicated for patients who want to improve the complexion and texture of their skin. It allows the skin of the face to regain its radiance, its elasticity as well as its softness. The skin becomes smoother and more homogeneous.

The Icon laser delivers pulses of energy that deeply target skin pigments and stimulate collagen production to tighten nearby tissue. The complexion and texture of the skin improve after the first session.

Treating wrinkles by "resurfacing"

As a "resurfacing" device, the Icon laser makes it possible to reduce wrinkles and remove fine lines on the face. It is particularly effective for correcting fine lines at the corners of the eyes (crow's feet), folds of bitterness, nasolabial folds or small folds of skin under the nose.

How many laser sessions are needed?

A single session lasting between 15 and 30 minutes is generally necessary to provide significant results of improvement of the facial skin.

Before - After a correction of the wrinkles and fine lines of the eye (crow's feet)

Description of the treatment

An Icon laser session takes place in the surgeon's surgery and lasts an average of 30 minutes (the duration varies according to the importance of the treated area).

The procedure is not very painful and is therefore usually performed without anesthesia. During the session, the pulses of the laser are accompanied by tingling and a sensation of heat. The session ends with the application of a soothing, moisturizing and restorative cream that will continue to be applied in the days that follow.

After a laser session Icon Icon laser

The treatment has no direct action on the outer layer of the skin, which prevents social eviction as a result of the intervention.In fact, it does not thus leads to no "crust" or desocializing skin lesion.

If the intervention does not involve social eviction, you should know that redness may appear after the session. These disappear gradually after the treatment (in 1-3 days maximum). These rashes are easily make up. Patients may experience the sensation similar to the one of a sunburn for 1 or 2 days. In the first 10 days following the intervention, a light desquamation of the epidermis may appear.

In case of exposure to the sun within three months after the intervention, the application of an effective sunscreen is very recommended.

When the wrinkles are particularly pronounced, a facelift makes it possible to obtain a better result on the sagging skin and the structure of the face, in particular the LVPA facelift performed by Dr. Kron which makes it possible to obtain a durable rejuvenation with limited postoperative effects.

Correct skin imperfections

The Icon laser can erase 3 types of skin imperfections:

  • Pigment spots such as brown spots. Most often, these are completely benign spots that can be perceived as an aesthetic detriment.
  • Signs of "photo-aging" such as solar lentigines (small spots caused by aging skin and the effects of the sun).
  • Facial vascular lesions: the "small vessels" that appear under the skin of the face, especially in the nose (nostrils), cheeks and chin.

Brown spots and vascular lesions can be corrected in 1 to 3 laser sessions. In the case of scars, 3 to 5 sessions may be necessary to obtain an optimal result.

The Icon laser is not suitable for the removal of moles, which requires an ablative laser device.

Correction of brown spots: Result of the intervention after 2 laser sessions

Erasing scars (acne, chickenpox)

The Icon laser also helps to find a smooth skin by erasing scars. It is particularly effective in scars caused by severe forms of acne or chicken pox.

The Icon laser helps to alleviate any kind of scar resulting in depressions on the skin or hyperpigmentation of the skin: acne, chickenpox, post-traumatic scars or post-surgical, ...

Laser Treatment of acne scars

Acne is a skin disease of the pilosebaceous follicle that affects 85 to 90% of adolescents. In 10% of cases, acne takes severe forms and can induce definitive scars.

Acne scars take very different forms. Pigmented scars without relief but with localized hyperpigmentation in the form of red spots (more common on fair skin) or brown spots (more common on dark and matte skin). The acne pimples can also leave scars indented (small craters on the surface of the skin) or in relief (irregularities of the surface of the skin).

The use of a device like the Icon laser makes it possible to quickly improve the appearance of the scars without inducing social exclusion. Indeed, the use of short pulses allows the laser to have a deep action of the skin.

The laser delivers pulses of energy that heat the dermis at the level of the scar while preserving the epidermis (upper layer of the skin). This thermal reaction causes an inflammatory reaction followed by a remodeling of the dermis with an improvement in the color, texture and tension of the skin.

How many sessions?

Most of the times, between 3 to 6 laser sessions are necessary to obtain an optimal result.

The treatment of laser scars is not suitable for any type of scar. In some cases, surgical correction of scars will yield better results. During the consultation prior to any intervention, the surgeon will explain the different techniques depending on the result you want.

Other non-invasive techniques also provide a significant exfoliation of light scars (such as acne scars or chicken pox scars):

During a consultation, the surgeon will explain precisely the benefits and consequences of each technique depending on the nature of your skin.

Before - After an acne scars correction by laser Icon: Result obtained after 6 sessions

Remove stretch marks

What are stretch marks?

Stretch marks are imperfections of the skin that appear in the form of streaks, thin lines on the skin, more or less long, many and wide depending on the individual. They are usually red or purplish at first but gradually become pearly. Over time, stretch marks tend to become deeper.

The parts of the body affected by stretch marks are especially the belly, thighs, buttocks, hips or breasts. Stretch marks appear especially when the skin stretches quickly during puberty, following a pregnancy or significant weight changes.

The appearance of stretch marks is explained by the inability of fibroblastic cells to produce the amounts of collagen and elastin needed for good quality skin, specifically when the body is evolving.

Principle of laser stretch mark treatment

The fractional laser delivers impulses of energy that will target and heat stretch marks while preserving the surrounding skin. This thermal action stimulates the production of collagen and elastin by the body, which will then improve the texture and color of the skin so as to remove stretch marks.

Between 3 and 5 sessions are usually necessary to get an optimal result on stretch marks. The duration of the sessions varies between 15 and 30 minutes.

The result of the intervention can be appreciated after two weeks (the time needed for the collagen to produce following the action of the laser makes its effect on the texture and the brightness of the skin).

Skin Smoothing using laser : Result after 3 sessions

Description of a laser treatment

The treatment is not very painful even if discomfort is felt. At each impact of the laser, one feels a sensation similar to a stroke of an elastic as well as a sensation of heat localized on the treated zone.

The discomfort remains moderate and the session usually takes place without any anesthesia. In some cases an anesthetic cream may be applied prior to treatment to avoid discomfort.

How many laser sessions Icon?

The number of laser sessions and their duration depends on the characteristics of the treated area. Most pigment spots can be treated in 2 to 4 sessions spaced a month apart. Acne scars can be corrected in 3 to 6 sessions.

In the case of a "scrub" treatment of pigment spots, they will appear slightly darker during the first two weeks after the laser treatment. A film is formed in effect on the treated area. When this film falls, we can appreciate the final result.

When can we see the result?

The result of treatment is final in the vast majority of cases. Birthing tasks are the only notable exception (birth tasks may reappear after months or years).

Before-After: Laser Icon

Before & after picures of the result of laser Icon treatment

> View all before and after pictures of laser treatment

🇬🇧About the translation: Parts of the English version of this website were translated using computer generated translation. If you notice a significant error or if you have any doubt regarding the medical information provided, please send us a message.

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Dr CĂ©dric Kron - Plastic surgeon in Paris

Former resident, Gold Medal of Surgery and Head of Clinic of Paris Hospitals (APHP), Dr. C. Kron is qualified in Plastic, Cosmetic and Reconstructive Surgery. He practices as a plastic surgeon in Paris, with a comprehensive and tailor-made approach of aesthetic treatments.