What’s the Difference Between Ablative and Non-Ablative Treatments?

Halo at the Philadelphia area’s Cross Medical Group is a versatile laser device that can provide combined ablative and non-ablative effects. This can be great for the look and feel of your skin—but what exactly does it mean?

Traditional laser treatments were strictly ablative, which means the light energy entirely removed the outermost layers of tissue. This allowed for dramatic results, as it took away the epidermis where many cosmetic imperfections were found and prompted skin-cell turnover. It also required some significant downtime after. In the days and weeks after an ablative session, the skin needed time for healing.

Advances in laser treatments resulted in devices that kept the epidermis intact as they sent light energy through the surface to heat the tissue beneath. This heat rose rapidly, triggering a collagen-building response in specialized cells. An increase in collagen leads to thicker and smoother skin. The heat can also cause pigmented lesions to break down for a clearer look. While this was a gentler treatment that required minimal recovery time after, the results were less dramatic.

Patients who wanted skin rejuvenation had to choose between the two options: dramatic results and more down time, or more subtle results with less down time.

Then came Halo, a fractional laser treatment that blends the two strategies into a single device that allows for customizable treatments and personalized results.

The “fractional” part of this treatment’s name refers to the fact that only a fraction of the skin is ablated during a session. Tiny dots are vaporized by the laser light in a grid pattern, with each miniscule spot prompting a healing reaction in the skin. This allows for a dramatic improvement in texture and tone. Since most of the skin is left intact, there is little need for healing. In other words, Halo provides the “best of both worlds” in the form of beautifully noticeable results that don’t require much down time.

Halo is ideal for treating a range of concerns, including wrinkles and fine lines, multiple types of scars (including acne), damage from ultraviolet radiation, pigmented lesions, signs of aging, enlarged-looking pores, uneven tone and texture, and even stretch marks. 

For more information about Halo, call Cross Medical Group at (215) 561-9100 or request a consultation online.