METHODS
• Human donor skin tissue samples of 500-µm thickness were pretreated with a low-power 

1440-nm diode laser, 1927-nm diode laser, or received no pretreatment prior to application of 
eye serum (Table)

Table. Experimental Parameters for Uptake Analysis

• Eye serum was applied to laser-treated skin and untreated controls, and permeation was 
measured up to 24 hours after application (Figure 1)

• Samples were filtered and analyzed using high-performance liquid chromatography to measure 
cumulative permeation and retention

• Total uptake was calculated as the sum of the normalized cumulative permeation and 
retention in each sample

Figure 1. Study design for testing uptake of topicals on skin tissue. 

PBS, phosphate-buffered saline.

RESULTS
Uptake
• Pretreatment with the 1440-nm laser increased uptake of mineral eye serum at 24 hours 

posttreatment by almost 2 times compared to untreated controls (47.1 vs 23.7 mg/cm2)
• Pretreatment with the 1927-nm laser with lower power and energy settings (0.6 W, 4.5 mJ) 

enhanced uptake of mineral eye serum by ~1.6 times compared to untreated controls (39.0 vs 
23.7 mg/cm2)

• Higher power and energy settings (1 W, 7.5 mJ) with the 1927-nm laser enhanced uptake of 
eye serum by ~2.7 times compared to untreated controls (63.6 vs 23.7 mg/cm2)

Permeation
• Permeation was increased by >2 times with 1440-nm laser pretreatment compared to 

untreated controls (39.7 vs 19.4 mg/cm2; Figure 2)
• Low-power 1927-nm pretreatment (0.6 W) increased permeation by 1.5 times compared to 

untreated controls (29.4 vs 19.4 mg/cm2)
• Higher-power 1927-nm pretreatment (1 W) increased permeation by almost 3 times 

compared to untreated controls (57.6 vs 19.4 mg/cm2)
• Laser-treated samples showed enhanced uptake within 15 minutes of application, whereas 

untreated controls did not demonstrate permeation until 2 hours

Figure 2. Cumulative permeation of mineral eye serum after laser pretreatment.

Values are mean ± standard deviation.

SYNOPSIS
• The stratum corneum limits transdermal uptake of topical therapies, potentially reducing their clinical efficacy1

• Non-ablative fractional laser pretreatment enhances topical delivery and absorption, reduces thermal side effects, and creates microscopic treatment zones (MTZ) that spare the stratum corneum2-4

• Clinical practice may be improved by understanding the relationship between topical uptake and energy-device settings, such as wavelength, peak power, and spot density

Quantifying Uptake  
of Eye Serum After 
1440-nm or 1927-nm 
Non-ablative Fractional 
Diode Laser Treatment

Jordan V. Wang, MD, MBE, MBA1; Paul M. Friedman, MD1,2; Adarsh Konda, PharmD3; Catherine Parker, NP, MSN4; Roy G. Geronemus, MD1
1Laser & Skin Surgery Center of New York, New York, NY; 2Dermatology and Laser Surgery Center, Houston, TX; 3Bausch Health US, LLC, Bridgewater, NJ; 4Solta Medical, Bothell, WA 

OBJECTIVE
• To quantify uptake of an eye serum, Obagi® 

Elastiderm (Long Beach, CA; 2010 formulation), 
using donor skin tissue pretreated with a  
1440-nm or 1927-nm non-ablative fractional 
diode laser (320 MTZ/cm2; Clear + Brilliant® 
laser system; Solta Medical, Bothell, WA)

CONCLUSIONS
• In this ex vivo analysis, pretreatment with 

low-power 1440-nm or 1927-nm non-ablative 
fractional diode lasers not only increased 
overall uptake of mineral eye serum but also 
achieved more rapid absorption after application 
compared to untreated controls

• Pretreatment with the 1927-nm wavelength 
at low power (0.6 W) showed similar uptake 
enhancement to 1440-nm laser pretreatment at  
3 W relative to untreated control (~1.6 vs 2 times)

• 1927-nm pretreatment at 1 W enhanced uptake 
of mineral eye serum by ~2.7 times relative to 
untreated control 

• These results provide a foundation for guidance 
on the use of non-ablative lasers in clinical 
studies on topical uptake enhancement

Presented at the 2021 Fall Clinical Dermatology Conference • October 21-24, 2021 • Las Vegas, NV, and Virtual

Funding information: This study was sponsored by Solta Medical. Medical writing support was provided by MedThink 
SciCom and funded by Solta Medical. 

Disclosures: JVW is an investigator for Solta Medical. PMF serves on the advisory board and speaker bureau for Solta Medical.  
AK and CP are employees of and may hold stock or stock options in Solta Medical. RGG is an investigator and advisory board 
member for Solta Medical.

References: 1. Lee et al. Eur J Pharm Sci. 2016;92:1-10. 2. Machado et al. Aesthetic Plast Surg. 2021;45:1020-1032. 3. Friedman et 
al. J Drugs Dermatol. 2020;19:s3-s11. 4. Farkas et al. Aesthet Surg J. 2013;33:1059-1064.

Figure 1

Sample & refill

500-µm skin graft

Topical formulation

PBS solution w/ 0.2% sodium azide

Donor chamber

Permeation/Diffusion chamber
Stir bar

Stir rotation

Parameter Setting
Device wavelength, nm 1440 1927 1927
Spot density, MTZ/cm2 320 320 320
Peak power, W 3 0.6 1
Spot size, µm 130 130 130
Pulse energy, mJ 9 4.5 7.5
MTZ, microscopic treatment zones.

Figure 2

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

0 5 10 15 20 25 30

Time, hours

Control
1435nm-1.2W-9mJ
1927nm-0.6W-4.5mJ
1927nm-1.0W-7.5mJ

Control
1440 nm/3 W/9 mJ
1927 nm/0.6 W/4.5 mJ
1927 nm/1 W/7.5 mJ

29.40

57.65

39.77

19.37

C
um

ul
at

iv
e 

pe
rm

ea
ti
o
n,

 m
g/

cm
2