THE ROLE OF HIGH-RESOLUTION ULTRASOUND IN THE DIAGNOSTICS OF FACIAL AND NECK SKIN AFTER LASER RESURFACING

High-resolution ultrasound (US) was used to examine 25 patients before the procedure and at the 2nd, 7th, 21st days and in 1.5 months after combined exposure to the skin of the face and neck with the Er:YAG laser in cold ablation mode and with the neodymium (Nd:YAG) laser in long pulse mode. The maximum dermis thickness was noted in the middle third (the standard measurement point along the mid-pupillary line in the projection of the infraorbital foramen) and composed 1,75±0,29 mm, the minimum on the neck and in infraorbital area - 1,2 (1,15; 1,3) mm and 1,15±0,15 mm, respectively. On the second day after the procedure, there was a significant increase up to 2,63±0,33 mm in the dermal thickness in the middle third in the projection of the infraobital foramen and up to 1,57±0,23 mm in the submental area of the neck due to all its layers in comparison with the values given ​​before the procedure (p=0.005, p<0.0001). Visualization of the dermis layers was difficult in B-mode during ultrasound, the toughness of the tissues decreased at compression elastography, pronounced vascularization was detected in the CDI mode in comparison with the initial one before the procedure and persisted up to 6 weeks. The ultrasound image in B-mode corresponded to the initial parameters starting from the 7th day.