2026年を迎えるにあたって。
年末はクリニックFが最も忙しい時です。医師になって三十有余年、専門医を取得した後にレーザークリニックを開業するようになってからもすでに四半世紀を超えました。本年も多くの方に支えていただき、この大晦日の診療日を迎える事になりました。ありがとうございました。最後まで集中力を切らさずに頑張ります。皆様良いお年をお迎えください。
閑話休題
思えば開院から一貫して、エレクトロマグネティックの医療機器を扱う、皮膚の若返りを追求したクリニックとして診療の場を作ってきました。
購入使用してきたレーザー＆エネルギーデバイスの機器も、数代の継体を経て、今ではすでに100台以上を数えます。
「エレクトロマグネティック（Electromagnetic）」とは、「電磁気の」または「電磁的な」という意味です。
電気（Electric）と磁気（Magnetic）の相互作用を指し、電磁波や電磁場、電磁力など、電気と磁気が一体となって働く現象や技術を表現する際に使われます。
具体的な例としては：
電磁波：光やX線、ラジオ波、マイクロ波など、電場と磁場が波として伝わる現象。
電磁場：電流や電荷が作り出す電場と磁場の空間。
電磁力：電荷や電流の間に働く力。
などなど、工学や物理学、通信技術、医療（MRI装置）など、さまざまな分野で応用されている概念です。
レーザーもこの分野、エレクトロマグネティックの機器になります。
レーザー照射やその他のエネルギーデバイスの皮膚への刺激が、メッセンジャーRNA（mRNA）の発現を通じてコラーゲンやエラスチンを増やし、肌の若返りに寄与するという研究は、近年増加しています。
レーザー治療は、もともと工学に詳しいハーバード大学を中心とした技術者によって先行研究が進んできましたが、まさに今は時代の転換期。
生化学的なカスケードの研究がどんどん進み、エビデンスがついてきました。
メスやフィラーを使った「整形」で若い顔を作るのではなく、肌を若返えらせ、若い頃の顔に時計の針を戻す事が可能になりつつあります。
レーザーや光治療は、皮膚細胞の ミトコンドリア内膜の 第Ⅳ複合体（シトクロムcオキシダーゼ） に光の刺激を与えることで、特定の遺伝子が活性化され、mRNAの発現が増加します。
mRNAは、皮膚の線維芽細胞や角化細胞においてコラーゲンやエラスチンといったタンパク質の合成を促進し、皮膚の弾力やハリを改善する役割を果たします。
主なメカニズムとしては
①レーザーによって発生した活性酸素が引き起こす微小炎症がmRNA発現を誘導し、創傷治癒プロセスを活性化し、発現したmRNAがⅠ型およびⅢ型コラーゲンの産生に関与
Fujimoto T, Ito S, Ito M, Kanazawa H, Yamaguchi S.
Induction of different reactive oxygen species in the skin during various laser therapies and their inhibition by fullerene.
Lasers in Surgery and Medicine 44(8), Oct 2012, 685–694 (2012).doi: 10.1002/lsm.22065
②経皮ドラッグデリバリー技術:レーザーの効果発現のために微小ペプチドを皮下に導入させる技術開発。
Fujimoto T, Wang J, Baba K, Oki Y, Hiruta Y, Ito M, Ito S, Kanazawa H.
Transcutaneous drug delivery by liposomes using fractional laser technology.
Lasers in Surgery and Medicine 49(5), Jul 2017, 525–532 (2017).doi: 10.1002/lsm.22616
③エピジェネティクスの変化: レーザー照射による外的刺激が、mRNA遺伝子発現の制御に影響を与える可能性。
Hasegawa K, Fujimoto T, Mita C, Furumoto H, Inoue M, Ikegami K, Kitayama T, Yamamoto Y, Shimbo T, Yamazaki T, Tamai K.
Single-cell transcriptome analysis of fractional CO₂ laser efficiency in treating a mouse model of alopecia.
Lasers in Surgery and Medicine 54(8), Oct 2022, 1167–1176 (2022).doi: 10.1002/lsm.23590
などが考えられ、レーザー治療機序の解明に関しては、私も世界の研究の一端を担ってきたと考えています。
少し難しいことを書きましたが、つまり機器も研究も未だ発展の途中、未来があるということになります。
私自身も、そんな未来を一緒に見るべく、まだまだ勉強を続けています。
クリニックFには、開院当初からずっといらしてくださっている患者さんが少なくありません。
そしてそんな方々が、ご友人だけでなく、今ではお嬢さんやご子息など、新たな患者さんをご紹介下さいます。
病気の治療を行う医療機関ではなく、健康寿命を延ばす現場では、患者さんとのお付き合いもこんなに長くなるのですね。
大切な患者さんたちと一緒に年齢を重ね、生を喜び、また慈しみ、その年齢毎に必要な知識と技術を確実なタイミングで提供する、そんな医師であり現場で今年もありたいと強く思います。
東京半蔵門 クリニックF院長
医師 医学博士 工学博士 薬学博士
MBA(経営管理学修士) DBA（経営管理学博士）
藤本 幸弘
As We Welcome the Year 2026
The year-end season is the busiest time at Clinic F.
It has been more than thirty years since I became a physician, and over a quarter of a century has passed since I obtained board certification and opened a laser clinic. This year as well, thanks to the support of so many people, we have reached our final day of clinical practice on New Year’s Eve. My sincere gratitude to all of you. I will continue to give my full concentration and do my very best until the very end. I wish everyone a happy and healthy New Year.
Now, a brief digression.
Since our opening, Clinic F has consistently positioned itself as a clinic dedicated to skin rejuvenation through the use of electromagnetic medical devices.
The laser and energy-based devices we have purchased and used over the years have gone through multiple generations, and today the total number exceeds 100 units.
The term “electromagnetic” refers to phenomena or technologies related to electromagnetism—that is, the interaction between electricity and magnetism. It is used to describe effects and systems in which electric and magnetic forces act together, such as electromagnetic waves, fields, and forces.
Concrete examples include:
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Electromagnetic waves: phenomena in which electric and magnetic fields propagate as waves, such as light, X-rays, radio waves, and microwaves.
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Electromagnetic fields: spatial fields of electric and magnetic forces generated by electric charges and currents.
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Electromagnetic force: the force acting between electric charges and currents.
These concepts are widely applied across engineering, physics, telecommunications, and medicine (such as MRI systems).
Laser devices also belong to this electromagnetic domain.
In recent years, an increasing number of studies have demonstrated that laser irradiation and other energy-based stimulation of the skin can enhance collagen and elastin production through the expression of messenger RNA (mRNA), thereby contributing to skin rejuvenation.
Laser therapy was initially driven by engineers—particularly those associated with institutions such as Harvard University—who led early technological research. Today, however, we are at a true turning point.
Biochemical cascade research has advanced rapidly, and solid scientific evidence is now accumulating.
Rather than creating a youthful appearance through “cosmetic alteration” using scalpels or fillers, it is becoming increasingly possible to rejuvenate the skin itself and turn back the biological clock to one’s younger facial state.
Laser and light-based therapies stimulate Complex IV (cytochrome c oxidase) in the inner mitochondrial membrane of skin cells. This photonic stimulation activates specific genes, leading to increased mRNA expression.
mRNA, in turn, promotes the synthesis of proteins such as collagen and elastin in dermal fibroblasts and keratinocytes, improving skin elasticity and firmness.
The main mechanisms proposed include:
1. Reactive oxygen species–mediated microinflammation
Reactive oxygen species generated by laser irradiation induce microinflammation, which triggers mRNA expression and activates the wound-healing process. The expressed mRNA is involved in the production of type I and type III collagen.
Fujimoto T, Ito S, Ito M, Kanazawa H, Yamaguchi S.
Induction of different reactive oxygen species in the skin during various laser therapies and their inhibition by fullerene.
Lasers in Surgery and Medicine 44(8), Oct 2012, 685–694.
doi:10.1002/lsm.22065
2. Transcutaneous drug delivery technology
The development of techniques to deliver micropeptides into the subcutaneous tissue in order to enhance the effects of laser treatment.
Fujimoto T, Wang J, Baba K, Oki Y, Hiruta Y, Ito M, Ito S, Kanazawa H.
Transcutaneous drug delivery by liposomes using fractional laser technology.
Lasers in Surgery and Medicine 49(5), Jul 2017, 525–532.
doi:10.1002/lsm.22616
3. Epigenetic modulation
External stimulation from laser irradiation may influence the regulation of gene expression at the mRNA level through epigenetic changes.
Hasegawa K, Fujimoto T, Mita C, Furumoto H, Inoue M, Ikegami K, Kitayama T, Yamamoto Y, Shimbo T, Yamazaki T, Tamai K.
Single-cell transcriptome analysis of fractional CO₂ laser efficiency in treating a mouse model of alopecia.
Lasers in Surgery and Medicine 54(8), Oct 2022, 1167–1176.
doi:10.1002/lsm.23590
Based on these findings, I believe that I have played a role—however small—in advancing global research aimed at elucidating the mechanisms of laser therapy.
While this discussion may be somewhat technical, the essence is simple: both the technology and the research are still evolving, and the future remains full of promise.
I myself continue to study diligently, eager to witness and share that future together with my patients.
At Clinic F, many patients have been visiting us continuously since our earliest days.
Over time, these patients have gone on to introduce not only friends, but also their daughters and sons as new patients.
In a setting dedicated not to treating disease, but to extending healthy life expectancy, relationships with patients naturally become long and deeply rooted.
Growing older together with my valued patients—celebrating life, cherishing it, and providing the right knowledge and techniques at precisely the right time for each stage of life—this is the kind of physician and clinical environment I strongly aspire to continue being in the coming year.
Clinic F
Hanzomon, Tokyo
Director
Takahiro Fujimoto, MD, PhD (Medicine), PhD (Engineering), PhD (Pharmaceutical Sciences)
MBA (Master of Business Administration)
DBA (Doctor of Business Administration)
