Photopneumatic Therapy

Another modification of visible light sources is the advent of photopneumatic therapy. Photopneumatic therapy takes a radical approach by manipulating optics of the skin instead of device characteristics by applying simultaneous vacuum suction to narrower band broad­band light sources using blue and green photons. Suction stretches the skin, allowing the blue and green photons to have deeper dermal penetration, thereby enhancing photon deliv­ery to dermal targets. Lower fluencies are necessary, thereby reducing the pain seen in traditional laser and light-based technologies. Simultaneous pore cleansing with vacuum produces a “porofacial” effect with improvements in acneiform lesions and pore-size reduc­tion. A recent addition to photopneumatic therapy is the addition of topical agents using a modified tip to enhance dermal delivery of topical agents. This approach may address rhytids in addition to dyschromias (Fig. 13.2).