SmartXide Dot: A Revolution in Facial
Resurfacing
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The SmartXide Dot is a new innovation in CO2 laser technology. The CO2 laser – the “gold standard”
in skin resurfacing technology since it was first reported in 1991 – produces superb results for patients.
However, traditional CO2 laser resurfacing removes the entire skin surface, which results in a
prolonged and somewhat difficult recovery. SmartXide Dot technology offers results approaching those
of traditional CO2 laser resurfacing, but with complete recovery in only a few days. Over the next few
years, SmartXide Dot will set a new standard for resurfacing and become the treatment of choice for
reversing the effects of aging on the skin.
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The SmartXide Laser
The great promise of SmartXide Dot is a 30 watt, carbon dioxide based laser with a 10,600 nm
wavelength. A scanning head delivers the laser impulse in one of several available patterns. This
allows Dr. Johnson to individualize the treatment area for each patient. Within each pattern, 150-700
tiny dots are created, each about 300 microns (0.003 millimeters) in size. The space between each
dot, the depth of each dot, and the length of time the laser stays on each dot (dwell time) are all
variable, and are adjusted for each patient and each area of treatment.
The SmartXide Dot laser is adjusted to maximize benefit for different types of treatments. Superficial
problems like pigment disorders or mild wrinkles are treated with close dots. Deeper problems such as
scars or deep skin creases are treated with more distance between dots and fewer overall dots,
greater depth and longer dwell times. Patients whose primary concern is overall skin laxity and general
wrinkling are treated between the two extremes. Treatments off the face generally use similar distance
between the dots and depth settings as the face, but dwell times approximately one half the settings of
facial treatments.
Compared to other ablation lasers
The size of the treatment dots varies from 120 to 1,250 microns, but average dot size is 300 microns.
Some other laser units offer heads with different spot sizes (Lumenis Active FX). SmartXide Dot offers
surgical heads that allow the device to be used for surgical incisions as well as skin resurfacing
applications. Unlike Fraxel Repair, which features continuous tracking across the treatment area,
SmartXide Dot allows various patterns are are lined up to complete the treatment. Other treatments
which feature this approach include Quanta MIXto and Lumenis FX. Unlike most competing
technologies, SmartXide Dot does allow a complete ablation option.
SmartXide Dot: A Revolution in Facial
Resurfacing
The SmartXide Dot is a new innovation in CO2 laser technology. The CO2 laser – the “gold standard”
in skin resurfacing technology since it was first reported in 1991 – produces superb results for patients.
However, traditional CO2 laser resurfacing removes the entire skin surface, which results in a
prolonged and somewhat difficult recovery. SmartXide Dot technology offers results approaching those
of traditional CO2 laser resurfacing, but with complete recovery in only a few days. Over the next few
years, SmartXide Dot will set a new standard for resurfacing and become the treatment of choice for
reversing the effects of aging on the skin.
Where can SmartXide Dot be used?
Unlike previous CO2 laser treatments, which were restricted to the face, SmartXide Dot can be used
on many areas of the body, including the eyelids, hands, elbows, and décolleté. In addition to areas of
loose skin, wrinkled skin, or even crepe paper skin, SmarXide Dot provides excellent results when
used for scar revision, and for treatment of pigmentation problems and stretch marks.
How does SmartXide Dot work?
The SmartXide Dot laser penetrates into the upper layer of the dermis, which is the supporting layer of
our skin and which contains most of the skin’s collagen. SmartXide Dot targets water in these tissues,
resulting in tissue ablation inside the dot. Each dot is surrounded by a zone of thermal tissue damage
formed by the laser. This thermal damage is responsible for the superior results seen with CO2 lasers.
How does SmartXide Dot achieve shorter recovery times than previous
CO2 ablation techniques?
Previous CO2 ablative treatments removed the entire skin surface. This required the skin to heal from
below – a somewhat long and painful process. Because SmartXide Dot leaves the skin around each
dot intact, the skin heals in from this surrounding tissue. This is one of the primary differences between
SmartXide Dot and previous CO2 laser treatments, and is responsible for the drastically shorter
recovery times associated with SmartXide Dot treatment.
What are the results of SmartXide Dot treatment?
Collagen shrinkage as a result of thermal damage results in some immediate skin tightening. More
importantly, further improvements in skin tightness and collagen density occur as a result of collagen
remodeling and begin about 30 days after the treatment. These improvements continue for up to one
year
Results of SmartXide Dot
SmartXide DOT
Facial Treatment before (left) and after (right)
SmartXide DOT
Facial Treatment before (left) and 24 days after (right)
SmartXide DOT
Facial Treatment before (left) and after (right)
SmartXide DOT
Facial Treatment before (left) and after (right)
SmartXide DOT
Treatment to eyes - before (left) and after (right)
SmartXide DOT
Treatment on cheek - before (left) and after (right)
SmartXide DOT
Treatment to eye area - before (left) and after (right)
SmartXide DOT
Treatment to mouth and lips - before (left) and after (right)
SmartXide DOT
Treatment to cheek - before (left) and after (right)
SmartXide DOT
Treatment to age spots - before (left) and after (right)
SmartXide DOT
Treatment to mouth - before (left) and after (right)