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All About Laser Therapy

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By Michelle Montoya
Not all lasers are created equal. There are different lasers for different cosmetic and aesthetic purposes. Some of the various procedures that use lasers are: hair reduction and removal; vascular treatments, such as spider vein removal, reducing roseacea, and other vascular lesions; wart removal; acne treatment; collagen stimulations and skin resurfacing.
Hair Removal
There are basically two main types of medical devices used for hair removal. The first is a true LASER, or Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation. There are many different strengths and wavelengths of lasers. One that is often used for hair removal is the Nd:YAG, which uses 1064 nanometers of wavelength. Its primary target is hemoglobin, but it does have a small affinity for melanin (color pigment in skin).
The other popular hair removal option is an Intense Pulse Light (IPL) machine. The IPL machine primarily targets melanin. In hair removal, both medical devices target the hair and follicle in the active hair growth phase of the hair growth cycle. This is because in this stage, the hair has a root attached and when the root is attached, the area around the hair is filled with blood. The 1064 Nd:YAG attacks the blood supply and stops it, thus stopping the supply of nutrients to the follicle and it dies. The IPL machine actually heats the pigment of color in the root itself and destroys the hair follicle. Both are reliable forms of hair removal.
With hair removal, several treatments will need to be done to get rid of all hair. Two weeks after treatment, the hair disappears. Whatever hair wasn’t destroyed will grow back in four weeks. Treatments are usually six weeks apart. While side effects are rare, some may have a swollen appearance to the follicle after treatment, but it’s usually gone within minutes.
Vascular Treatments
In the land of veins and vascular lesions, the 1064 Nd:YAG is the machine of choice because it targets hemoglobin. The IPL machine works equally well on collagen stimulations, but because it targets pigment in the skin, it can burn off sun spots or sun damage. A trained and licensed person should always form your treatments, as skin could easily be burned with both machines but more so with the IPL machine.
The other choice of laser for sun spots and damage, scars, wrinkles, etc. is the carbon dioxide (CO2) laser, which is losing popularity due to recovery time, the Erbium:YAG laser (which produces energy that is better absorbed by the skin that a CO2 laser, and the fractional laser. These lasers are classed as ablative lasers, which means their wavelength is such that they peel off the top layers of skin to mid-dermal level or more. These lasers are usually run by licensed professionals.
In vascular treatments, including spider vein removal, recovery time is quicker than traditional surgical methods of vein removal. The chance of complications is less, and the procedure is well-tolerated by most patients. Many of the unsightly veins can be removed with one treatment, but some may need two or more to completely clear the veins.
Wart Removal
When it comes to warts, there are several methods for removal. Keratolysis removes surface skin cells with salicylic acid, blistering agents, or formaldehyde. Cryosurgery freezes the wart with liquid nitrogen, which causes the wart and surrounding skin to fall off. Laser treatments destroy the small blood vessels that nourish the wart and keep it alive, which causes the wart to fall off.
Three types of lasers are typically used to remove warts. A pulsed dye laser (PDL), carbon dioxide (CO2) laser, or Nd:YAG laser. Nd:YAG lasers are an effective way of removing warts because they target the dilated blood vessels at the base of the wart and effectively destroy the virus and disinfecting the surrounding tissue.
In most cases, warts that are treated with lasers are permanently removed after only one treatment. Laser treatment, in contrast to surgical removal, causes no scarring and generally requires no anesthesia. This makes it particularly suitable for the treatment of children with warts.
Acne Treatment
Lasers treat acne by delivering light through the skin’s surface, triggering the body’s natural bacteria fighting defenses. These defenses kill the problem causing bacteria and reduce the severity of current and future breakouts. Fractional (or Fraxel®) lasers have the potency of ablative treatments but the gentle safety of non-ablative lasers. Fraxel® Laser treatments also trigger the body’s natural production of new collagen and skin cells, which leaves the skin looking younger and fresher.
Nd:YAG lasers are also used to treat acne and work the same way as Fraxel  lasers do. They use a high power laser that penetrates the skin and targets the bacteria that produces the inflammation associated with acne. This bacteria releases molecules called porphyrins, which when exposed to a certain wavelength of light (the laser beam), increase in number until they destroy the bacteria.
With laser acne treatments, a high power laser penetrates the skin, targeting and destroying the bacteria that produce the inflammation associated with acne. The laser also gently vaporizes any scars so that undamaged skin below is revealed. Unlike many other techniques used to treat acne and scars, laser resurfacing is gentle, and complete recovery is achieved within days.
Collagen Stimulation
Unfortunately, we can’t stop time, which is why everyone gets fine lines and wrinkles. While we may not be able to stop time, we can use today’s technology to slow it down a little. As the skin gets older, the cells get thinner and are less elastic. Laser resurfacing uses a laser beam to gently vaporize a thin layer of the skin’s surface. The heat from the laser energy also stimulates the production of new collagen in the dermis. The overall
result is that new smoother and tighter skin forms.
Unlike traditional treatments such as dermabrasion (removing skin by abrasion) and chemical peels (removing the skin by using chemicals), the unique characteristics of lasers mean that your doctor can have much more accurate and precise control over the treatment, especially how deep the laser penetrates your skin. The Nd:YAG laser is commonly used in collagen stimulation and remodeling because it penetrates to the collagen layer in the skin to heat and stimulate new growth. The result is tighter skin due to new collagen.
For laser collagen remodeling, there is no immediate sign that a treatment has been done. Laser resurfacing vaporizes a thin layer of skin, and some patients describe it feeling like a sunburn or being snapped with a rubber band. Since laser collagen remodeling stimulates new collagen to grow, many treatments will be needed to maintain growth.
Laser Therapy Today
While it seems that using a laser on skin would be painful, there are many cooling treatments used to prevent any discomfort. There are four types of epidermal cooling: clear gel, contact cooling, cryogen spray, and air cooling. Air cooling is the most natural way of cooling and works by forcing freezing air to the area. The many technological advances prove that using lasers today are safe alternatives to the traditional treatments of yesterday.
References:
1. Laser Hair Removal: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laser_hair_removal
2. Laser Technology and Therapies: fotona.com/en/technology/
3. Laser Benefits to Treat Acne: www.acne-resource.org/understanding-acne/lasers-benefits.html
For more info, call Nouveaux Aesthetics – Cosmetic Wellness Center at 775-622-8505

By Michelle Montoya |

Not all lasers are created equal. There are different lasers for different cosmetic and aesthetic purposes. Some of the various procedures that use lasers are: hair reduction and removal; vascular treatments, such as spider vein removal, reducing roseacea, and other vascular lesions; wart removal; acne treatment; collagen stimulations and skin resurfacing.

Hair Removal

There are basically two main types of medical devices used for hair removal. The first is a true LASER, or Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation. There are many different strengths and wavelengths of lasers. One that is often used for hair removal is the Nd:YAG, which uses 1064 nanometers of wavelength. Its primary target is hemoglobin, but it does have a small affinity for melanin (color pigment in skin).

The other popular hair removal option is an Intense Pulse Light (IPL) machine. The IPL machine primarily targets melanin. In hair removal, both medical devices target the hair and follicle in the active hair growth phase of the hair growth cycle. This is because in this stage, the hair has a root attached and when the root is attached, the area around the hair is filled with blood. The 1064 Nd:YAG attacks the blood supply and stops it, thus stopping the supply of nutrients to the follicle and it dies. The IPL machine actually heats the pigment of color in the root itself and destroys the hair follicle. Both are reliable forms of hair removal.

With hair removal, several treatments will need to be done to get rid of all hair. Two weeks after treatment, the hair disappears. Whatever hair wasn’t destroyed will grow back in four weeks. Treatments are usually six weeks apart. While side effects are rare, some may have a swollen appearance to the follicle after treatment, but it’s usually gone within minutes.

Vascular Treatments

In the land of veins and vascular lesions, the 1064 Nd:YAG is the machine of choice because it targets hemoglobin. The IPL machine works equally well on collagen stimulations, but because it targets pigment in the skin, it can burn off sun spots or sun damage. A trained and licensed person should always form your treatments, as skin could easily be burned with both machines but more so with the IPL machine.

The other choice of laser for sun spots and damage, scars, wrinkles, etc. is the carbon dioxide (CO2) laser, which is losing popularity due to recovery time, the Erbium:YAG laser (which produces energy that is better absorbed by the skin that a CO2 laser, and the fractional laser. These lasers are classed as ablative lasers, which means their wavelength is such that they peel off the top layers of skin to mid-dermal level or more. These lasers are usually run by licensed professionals.

In vascular treatments, including spider vein removal, recovery time is quicker than traditional surgical methods of vein removal. The chance of complications is less, and the procedure is well-tolerated by most patients. Many of the unsightly veins can be removed with one treatment, but some may need two or more to completely clear the veins.

Wart Removal

When it comes to warts, there are several methods for removal. Keratolysis removes surface skin cells with salicylic acid, blistering agents, or formaldehyde. Cryosurgery freezes the wart with liquid nitrogen, which causes the wart and surrounding skin to fall off. Laser treatments destroy the small blood vessels that nourish the wart and keep it alive, which causes the wart to fall off.

Three types of lasers are typically used to remove warts. A pulsed dye laser (PDL), carbon dioxide (CO2) laser, or Nd:YAG laser. Nd:YAG lasers are an effective way of removing warts because they target the dilated blood vessels at the base of the wart and effectively destroy the virus and disinfecting the surrounding tissue.

In most cases, warts that are treated with lasers are permanently removed after only one treatment. Laser treatment, in contrast to surgical removal, causes no scarring and generally requires no anesthesia. This makes it particularly suitable for the treatment of children with warts.

Acne Treatment

Lasers treat acne by delivering light through the skin’s surface, triggering the body’s natural bacteria fighting defenses. These defenses kill the problem causing bacteria and reduce the severity of current and future breakouts. Fractional (or Fraxel®) lasers have the potency of ablative treatments but the gentle safety of non-ablative lasers. Fraxel® Laser treatments also trigger the body’s natural production of new collagen and skin cells, which leaves the skin looking younger and fresher.

Nd:YAG lasers are also used to treat acne and work the same way as Fraxel  lasers do. They use a high power laser that penetrates the skin and targets the bacteria that produces the inflammation associated with acne. This bacteria releases molecules called porphyrins, which when exposed to a certain wavelength of light (the laser beam), increase in number until they destroy the bacteria.

With laser acne treatments, a high power laser penetrates the skin, targeting and destroying the bacteria that produce the inflammation associated with acne. The laser also gently vaporizes any scars so that undamaged skin below is revealed. Unlike many other techniques used to treat acne and scars, laser resurfacing is gentle, and complete recovery is achieved within days.

Collagen Stimulation

Unfortunately, we can’t stop time, which is why everyone gets fine lines and wrinkles. While we may not be able to stop time, we can use today’s technology to slow it down a little. As the skin gets older, the cells get thinner and are less elastic. Laser resurfacing uses a laser beam to gently vaporize a thin layer of the skin’s surface. The heat from the laser energy also stimulates the production of new collagen in the dermis. The overall result is that new smoother and tighter skin forms.

Unlike traditional treatments such as dermabrasion (removing skin by abrasion) and chemical peels (removing the skin by using chemicals), the unique characteristics of lasers mean that your doctor can have much more accurate and precise control over the treatment, especially how deep the laser penetrates your skin. The Nd:YAG laser is commonly used in collagen stimulation and remodeling because it penetrates to the collagen layer in the skin to heat and stimulate new growth. The result is tighter skin due to new collagen.

For laser collagen remodeling, there is no immediate sign that a treatment has been done. Laser resurfacing vaporizes a thin layer of skin, and some patients describe it feeling like a sunburn or being snapped with a rubber band. Since laser collagen remodeling stimulates new collagen to grow, many treatments will be needed to maintain growth.

Laser Therapy Today

While it seems that using a laser on skin would be painful, there are many cooling treatments used to prevent any discomfort. There are four types of epidermal cooling: clear gel, contact cooling, cryogen spray, and air cooling. Air cooling is the most natural way of cooling and works by forcing freezing air to the area. The many technological advances prove that using lasers today are safe alternatives to the traditional treatments of yesterday.

References:

1. Laser Hair Removal: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laser_hair_removal

2. Laser Technology and Therapies: fotona.com/en/technology/

3. Laser Benefits to Treat Acne: www.acne-resource.org/understanding-acne/lasers-benefits.html

For more info, call Nouveaux Aesthetics – Cosmetic Wellness Center at 775-622-8505

Filed Under: Body Beautiful, Relaxation, Skin Care, Spas Tagged With: acne, hair removal, technology

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