A peer-reviewed study published in Scientific Reports examined the effects of Candela’s Nordlys 1940 nm non-ablative fractional laser in a split-face study of 22 adults and found modulation of the skin’s epigenetic signature.
According to Candela, researchers profiled more than 3.8 million CpG sites per sample across nine months and observed that 83.9% of sites most strongly associated with skin aging showed shifts in DNA methylation consistent with biological age reversal.
The study identified 635 differentially methylated regions emerging one month after treatment, expanding through three months and stabilizing at six months.
The molecular changes paralleled visible improvements measured by quantitative VISIA imaging, with brown-spot counts on the treated side falling by a median of 38% at one month and reductions in texture and overall pigmentation.
Gene expression pathways implicated included epidermal differentiation, collagen regeneration and organization, and skin barrier integrity.
The research also reported modulation of keratinocyte-regulating loci, including FGFR3, HOXB4, UBE2I, and PPP1R18/PPP1R26, which the company claims have links to basal and squamous cell skin cancer biology.
The work was conducted in partnership with Mitra Bio and the Candela Institute for Excellence.
