Whether multiple laser irradiations affect skin sensitivity is still elusive. We aimed to investigate if repeated ablative erbium:yttrium-aluminum-garnet (Er:YAG) laser therapy could cause or increase skin sensitivity in the treatment areas. Nineteen healthy females received three sessions of a randomized, split-face, Er:YAG laser treatment in a scanning ablative mode (MicroLaserPeel™), with a 6-mm spot size, 8-μm ablative depths, and 30% of pulse overlap first. The next round was conducted in the fractional mode (ProFractional™) at depths ranging from 100 to 150 μm, with one pass by at coverage of 11% in the coagulation mode. Objective biophysical parameters, including transepidermal water loss (TEWL), skin glossiness, epidermal and dermal thickness and density, sensory nerve current perception threshold (CPT), and local blood flow, were measured before and after treatment. Quantitative evaluation of the Er:YAG laser treatment's effect on skin sensitivity is presented. Seventeen volunteers completed a follow-up of 12 months. On days 1 and 3, skin TEWL and epidermal thickness increased, while glossiness decreased. On day 7, there was no significant difference in the skin barrier function between the treated and the control side. Similarly, there was no significant difference in CPT values or local microvascular blood flow between sides at any time point before or after treatment, except that the local microvascular blood flow on the treated side was higher on the first day post-treatment. Er:YAG laser treatment does not influence skin sensitivity in healthy subjects in a long-term follow-up.
Keywords: ablative laser; electrical current perception threshold; microvascular blood flow; skin barrier function; skin sensitivity.