Laser treatment shifted aging-linked DNA marks in human skin
Changes in DNA marks opposed age-related patterns at 83.9% of sites with strong signals in both treatment and aging-reference datasets.
Limit: Only 10 of 22 participants attended the optional final follow-up, risking selective retention
Edited by Boris Djordjevic · AgingResearch.News
In a paired, split-face trial, 24 adults aged 20–64 enrolled and 22 completed three laser sessions and three months of follow-up. Researchers treated one side of each face and used the untreated side as a control. Sessions were 28 days apart, using a 1940-nanometer laser at 12.2–20 millijoules. Adhesive tape collected outer-skin samples for measuring methylation, a form of chemical marking on DNA.
Treatment-related changes opposed age-related patterns at 83.9% of DNA sites with strong signals in both treatment and aging-reference datasets. Differences between treated and untreated skin emerged one month after the final session, expanded through three months and stabilized by six months. The affected regions were linked to skin development, collagen organization and wound responses. Brown spot counts fell more on treated than untreated skin at one and three months.
Why it matters
Skin aging involves molecular changes as well as visible ones. This study addressed whether a laser procedure could alter aging-associated molecular patterns beyond a temporary wound-repair response.
Caveats
DNA methylation changes do not by themselves show that skin became biologically younger. Only 10 participants attended the six-month visit, and the supplied abstract and excerpts do not report adverse events.
From the paper
- Participants
Twenty-four subjects with Fitzpatrick Skin Types II–IV and ages ranging from 20 to 64 years were enrolled.
- Duration
We used non-invasive tape-stripping to collect epidermal samples at Baseline, Post-Tx #1, 1-month (1MFU), 3-month (3 MFU), and 6-month (6 MFU) follow-ups.
- Analyzed for age-associated methylation trajectories
To map the molecular trajectory of skin rejuvenation following 1940-nm non-ablative fractional laser (NAFL), we conducted a longitudinal study enrolling a total of 22 participants.
- Analyzed for clinical improvements
VISIA measurements were collected from n = 20/22.
- Limitation
The modest cohort size, particularly at the six-month time point, limits statistical power and generalizability.
- Age-associated methylation trajectories
The resulting two-dimensional density map revealed a striking directional pattern, DNA methylation changes following NAFL treatment were anti-correlated with aging in human skin epidermis (Pearson’s R=-0.35, Spearman rho = − 0.26).
Results, NAFL treatment reverses age-associated methylation patterns
- Clinical improvements
Critically, brown spot reductions on the treated side were significantly greater than those on the contralateral untreated side at both 1 month (p < 0.01) and 3 months (p < 0.05), providing within-subject controlled evidence of a treatment-specific effect.
Quoted word for word from the full text on PubMed Central.
- Non-ablative fractional laser 1940-nm treatment
- DNA methylation
- Epigenetic regulation of gene expression
- Skin aging
- Age-associated methylation trajectories
- Humans
The paper
Candela Institute for Excellence; Candela (United States)
Scientific Reports, Jun 30, 2026, Open access
