Adverse Effects and Complications (Non-Ablative Lasers/Radio frequency)

Fig. 7.4a,b. Atrophic acne scars in a patient with skin phototype III/IV before (a) and after (b) three consecutive monthly nonablative long-pulsed 1,450-nm diode laser treatments
Fig. 7.4a,b. Atrophic acne scars
in a patient with skin phototype
III/IV before (a) and after (b)
three consecutive monthly
nonablative long-pulsed 1,450-
nm diode laser treatments
Side effects of non-ablative lasers and radiofrequency treatments are generally mild and transient. Local erythema and edema are typically observed in treated skin; however, a small percentage of patients in these studies experience superficial burns, ecchymoses, dysesthesias, and vesiculation [59, 71–74]. Mild to moderate discomfort which intensifies at higher fluences is typical despite the use of topical anesthesia and tissue cooling techniques, thereby leading many practitioners to add oral sedation and/or anesthetic nerve blocks.