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Comparative Evaluation of R134a and HFO-1234ze Cryogen Spray Cooling Using a Mouse Model With Controllable Epidermal
Wangcun Jia1, Yurie Jeong1, Crystal Huynh1
1Department of Surgery, Beckman Laser Institute, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California, USA.
Lasers in Surgery and Medicine
|March 1, 2026
Summary
The new cryogen HFO-1234ze offers epidermal protection comparable to R134a during laser procedures. This environmentally friendly alternative provides equivalent skin protection despite differences in surface cooling performance.
Area of Science:
- Dermatology
- Laser Physics
- Environmental Science
Background:
- Cryogen spray cooling (CSC) is vital for epidermal protection during laser procedures.
- The current standard cryogen, R134a, has a high global warming potential (GWP).
- HFO-1234ze is an emerging, environmentally favorable alternative to R134a.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate if HFO-1234ze provides comparable epidermal protection to R134a.
- To investigate the mechanistic basis for any cooling performance differences.
- To assess HFO-1234ze as a lower-GWP alternative for CSC.
Main Methods:
- Laser-induced epidermal injury was assessed in mice using R134a and HFO-1234ze.
- Hypopigmentation at Day 7 was the primary endpoint, scored by blinded raters.
- Surface cooling was measured on a skin phantom, and subsurface temperatures were modeled.
Main Results:
- No significant difference in hypopigmentation (epidermal injury) between R134a and HFO-1234ze.
- Surface cooling was more intense with R134a, but this effect diminished with depth.
- Differences in viable epidermis temperature were minimal (≤2°C-3°C).
Conclusions:
- R134a and HFO-1234ze offer equivalent epidermal protection in clinical laser applications.
- HFO-1234ze is a viable, lower-GWP alternative to R134a for CSC.
- Environmental benefits can be achieved without compromising dermatologic procedure safety.
