Fractional laser photothermolysis using Bessel beams

Fractional photothermolysis uses lasers to generate a pattern of microscopic columnar thermal lesions within the skin stimulating collagen remodeling. In this paper we investigate the use of Bessel beams as an alternative to conventional Gaussian beams in creating laser photothermal lesions of different aspect ratios in skin. We show for the first time the improved photothermal lesion depth-to-diameter aspect ratio using Bessel beams in ex vivo human skin as well as in numerical simulations using electric field Monte Carlo photon transport, finite difference methods and Arrhenius model. Bessel beams allow the creation of deep and narrow thermal lesions necessary for improved efficacy in fractional photothermolysis.