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Cold air in laser therapy: first experiences with a new cooling system
Lasers in Surgery and Medicine
|December 29, 2000
Summary
Cold air therapy offers superior pain relief and epidermal protection in laser treatments compared to traditional ice gel cooling. This effective, inexpensive method is preferred by most patients and clinicians for dermatologic laser procedures.
Area of Science:
- Dermatology
- Laser Therapy
- Pain Management
Background:
- Established analgesic cooling technologies are used in dermatologic laser therapy.
- Cold air represents a novel cooling method for comparison.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate cold air as a novel analgesic and epidermal cooling method in dermatologic laser therapy.
- To compare its efficacy and patient acceptance against traditional ice gel cooling.
Main Methods:
- A prospective study involving 166 patients undergoing laser treatment for various conditions (hypertrichosis, vascular lesions, tattoos).
- Comparison of cold air with ice gel for analgesia and epidermal thermal protection (erythema, purpura, blistering, etc.).
- Measurement of air and skin temperatures using an infrared thermometer.
Main Results:
- 86% of patients preferred cold air therapy over ice gel (97% excluding the perinasal area).
- Cold air provided 37% better analgesia and allowed for 15-30% higher laser energy levels.
- Reduced side effects including shorter erythema duration (63%), reduced purpura (70%), and less crusting (83%).
Conclusions:
- Cold air is an effective, inexpensive, and well-accepted alternative cooling method in dermatologic laser therapy.
- Further studies are needed to confirm if higher laser energy levels improve treatment outcomes.