Quieter nights. Better sleep. No surgery, no needles, minimal downtime.

Snoring is usually caused by vibration of soft tissues at the back of the throat (soft palate, uvula and surrounding structures). For many people, it’s not just “a noise problem” — it disrupts sleep quality, affects relationships, and leaves both partners tired.

At The Skin Doctor, we offer NightLase®, a non-invasive Er:YAG laser treatment (Fotona SMOOTH® mode) designed to tighten and strengthen the soft palate and surrounding throat tissues to reduce vibration and improve airflow. In properly selected patients, clinical studies show meaningful improvements in snoring severity and sleep-related quality of life (1–3).

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What Is NightLase®?

NightLase® is a minimally invasive, non-ablative laser treatment for snoring that uses gentle thermal stimulation to trigger collagen contraction and remodelling in the soft palate and surrounding tissues. The goal is to reduce tissue vibration and collapsibility during sleep (1–3).

Who NightLase® Is Best For

NightLase® is most suitable for:

• Primary snoring (socially disruptive snoring)
• Mild sleep-disordered breathing / mild OSA in selected patients
• People who want a non-surgical option and prefer to avoid devices

The strongest controlled evidence is in primary snorers with AHI < 15 and BMI ≤ 30 (1).

How NightLase® Works

NightLase® uses a 2940 nm Er:YAG laser in Fotona’s SMOOTH® mode to deliver controlled, non-ablative heating to:

• soft palate
• uvula
• tonsillar pillars
• selected oropharyngeal tissues

This thermal stimulus initiates collagen tightening and longer-term collagen remodelling, strengthening tissue and reducing vibration during sleep (1–4).

What the Research Shows

Randomised controlled trial (sham-controlled)

A sham-controlled RCT (40 primary snorers) found NightLase® significantly improved:

• Snore Outcomes Survey (SOS)
• Spouse/Bed Partner Survey (SBPS)
• partner-rated snoring VAS
  with no complications and no local anaesthetic required (1).

Systematic review and meta-analysis

A systematic review/meta-analysis reported a large reduction in pooled snoring VAS and high satisfaction rates, with generally minimal side effects (2).

Longer-term follow-up evidence

Longer-term studies report that benefits can persist, but recurrence can occur in a proportion of patients over time — which is why maintenance strategies matter (3).

What Treatment Is Like

• In-clinic procedure
• Typically no needles and no general anaesthetic
• Most patients describe a warm sensation; discomfort is usually mild and brief
• You can usually return to normal activities straight away

Treatment Course and Downtime

Sessions

It depends on each individual patient but a common course might be:

• 3 sessions, spaced about 2–4 weeks apart (1,2)
  Some patients may benefit from additional sessions depending on anatomy and severity.

Downtime

Minimal. Some patients notice:

• mild sore throat or dry throat for 1–2 days
• mild foreign body sensation
  These effects are typically transient in published studies (1–3).

How long results last

Benefits commonly last years, and treatment can be repeated if symptoms return (3,4).

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Learn More and Watch the Video

Official NightLase® overview (Fotona):
https://www.fotona.com/en/treatments/2039/nightlase-r/

Video (embed on page):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Md5KW6BvAig

Book a NightLase® Assessment

If snoring is affecting your sleep quality or relationship, we can assess whether NightLase® is suitable and discuss the most effective pathway for your situation.

Book Now (Main cosmetic Automed booking page)

Related pages:

• Body Treatments
• About Us

Frequently Asked Questions

Can NightLase® treat obstructive sleep apnoea?

NightLase® has evidence for improving snoring and sleep-related quality-of-life measures in selected patients, and some studies suggest benefit in mild sleep-disordered breathing. For moderate–severe OSA, CPAP and other evidence-based medical/surgical pathways remain standard, and NightLase® is best considered as supportive after assessment (1,2,5,6).

Does it hurt?

Most patients describe mild to moderate discomfort during treatment that resolves quickly. In the sham-controlled RCT, no local anaesthetic was required and pain scores were low (1).

How soon will I notice improvement?

Some patients notice improvement after the first session, but full results usually develop over the following weeks as collagen remodelling occurs (1–3).

How long do results last?

Results can last up to a year or longer, and maintenance treatments may be used if symptoms recur (3,4).

References

1.Picavet VA, Dellian M, Gehrking E, Sauter A, Hasselbacher K. Treatment of snoring using a non-invasive Er:YAG laser with SMOOTH mode (NightLase): a randomized controlled trial. Eur Arch Otorhinolaryngol. 2023;280(1):307–312. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35867153/

2.Neruntarat C, Khuancharee K, Shoowit P. Er:YAG laser for snoring: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Lasers Med Sci. 2020;35(6):1231–1238. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32112250/

3.Kassab AN, El Kharbotly A, Abd Elsamie A, Ahmed MR. Long-term follow-up study for the treatment of snoring using patterned non-ablative Er:YAG 2940-nm laser. Int Arch Otorhinolaryngol. 2023;27(1):e104–e110. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36714903/

4.Sippus L, Laha SK. Minimally invasive laser-assisted treatment of snoring and mild obstructive sleep-disordered breathing. Sleep Breath. 2015;19(4):1185–1193. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25726017/

5.Dawson PR. Up-to-date data on NightLase laser treatment of snoring for discussion. Respirology. 2024;29(4):347–348. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38323663/

6.Sarkis LM, Jones AC, Ng A, et al. Reply: Up-to-date data on NightLase laser treatment of snoring for discussion. Respirology. 2024;29(4):349. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38323664/