E-Posters-The Effect of Er:YAG Laser on the Skin and Vaginal Wall: A Systematic Review

The Effect of Er:YAG Laser on the Skin and Vaginal Wall: A Systematic Review - Katerina Mackova, MD

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The non-ablative Er:YAG (2490 nm) laser is commonly used in dermatology and gynecology to address age and menopause-related changes. While clinical studies have shown high patient and practitioner satisfaction, there is limited hard evidence at the histological, biochemical, and clinical levels. This study aimed to summarize the current knowledge on the objective effects of the non-ablative Er:YAG laser on the skin and vaginal wall.<br /><br />A literature search was conducted on MEDLINE, Embase, Web of Science, and Cochrane databases, including studies published in English up to January 2018. Fifteen studies met the inclusion criteria, including eleven clinical studies, two animal studies, and two in vitro or ex-vivo studies. Four of these studies focused on the use of the laser in the vagina. However, there was substantial diversity in laser settings and readouts used, raising concerns about the quality of the articles.<br /><br />Despite the lack of methodological uniformity, all the studies reported demonstrable effects of the laser. Immediately after laser application, there was an increase in temperature and subepithelial extracellular matrix coagulation, while the epithelium showed partial preservation. Long-term effects included increased epithelial thickness, thickening of the glycogen layer, neovascularization, and fibroblast proliferation.<br /><br />In conclusion, the non-ablative Er:YAG laser can induce changes in the skin and vaginal wall without unwanted or limited epidermal ablation. These changes, including cell activation, proliferation, and synthesis of extracellular matrix, have potential therapeutic implications for age-related conditions in dermatology and gynecology. However, the limited number and quality of studies call for more randomized control trials with standardized laser settings and outcome measurements to provide stronger evidence.

Keywords

non-ablative Er:YAG laser

dermatology

gynecology

clinical studies

vaginal wall

epithelial preservation

neovascularization

fibroblast proliferation

therapeutic implications

randomized control trials