Lasers For Everything

Last week I wrote an article about LASIK laser eye surgery. While researching, I ran across plastic surgeons offering laser treatments for spider veins, wellness clinics performing laser skin tightening, dermatologists suggesting laser skin resurfacing for acne scars, and spas advertising for laser hair removal.

These days it seems we use lasers for just about everything! This article has a quick look at the different advances laser technology has brought to various cosmetic procedures.

Laser Hair Removal
Some laser hair removal systems, such as CoolGlide, can permanently destroy hundreds of follicles in less than one second. The biggest problem with laser hair removal today is that they have not figured out how to destroy resting hair follicles. Hair growth occurs in cycles, with a each different hair follicle being in or between either the resting or actively growing phase as any given time. Because the laser only destroys the actively growing hair, patients must come back several times for further treatment before removing all of the hair on that body part. But it sure beats plucking them out one by one with tweezers!

Laser LASIK Eye Surgery
I dedicated an entire Associated Content article to LASIK eye surgery last week. We won't go in to much detail because you can read that piece here. However, there is one major point that was missed in that article. Why is LASIK Laser Eye Surgery Such a Revolution in Ophthalmology? Well, aside from accuracy, speed and better healing, most eye surgeries must be performed while the patient is still awake. Imagine having a doctor cut through your eyeball with a scalpel while you lay there, in horror, watching the entire episode! With LASIK, all it takes is a few numbing topical eye drops and viola! No pain.

Laser Vein Treatment
With this procedure the laser energy is absorbed by the veins, causing the walls of the blood vessel to stick together and seal off. The vein is then gradually absorbed by the body until nothing remains. A similar procedure is used to close saphenous (the one that runs up the back of your leg) and other problem veins in some patients. It sure beats an Ambulatory phlebectomy, in which the doctor pokes a hole in your skin, hooks the vein and pulls it out. OUCH!

Laser Skin Tightening
This relatively new technique uses a laser to heat through the first layer of skin, into the collagen layer. A cooling agent is applied to the skin's surface to protect it while the collagen layer is being heated to 160 degrees Fahrenheit, which causes the collagen to shrink and tighten.

Laser Skin Resurfacing
In this procedure lasers target only the surface layer of the skin, vaporizing it and making way for a new layer of soft, wrinkle-free, younger looking skin. According to some doctors, the heat generated by the laser also shortens collagen fibers, which is another added benefit. Laser skin resurfacing isn't for everyone. Younger people should seek other treatments first, and those with dark skin, such as Latino and African Americans, may find that the area where treatment was applied is lighter after laser surgery, giving them a "blotchy" look. But for pale patients of 40-years and older, it can take 5 or 10 years off their looks in a single treatment.

Laser Tattoo Removal
In a fascinating feat of selectivity, the laser light is absorbed by the tattoo only (rather than the skin), causing the dye to break down. The body's immune system then removes the broken down ink over time. Some tattoo ink colors respond better to laser tattoo removal than others. For instance, black is easier to remove than green.

Laser Dental Treatments
In the early days of researching the dental applications of laser technology, it was hoped that they could strengthen the enamel surface of teeth, thus making your smile less susceptible to tooth decay. These days, however, laser scientists are working with dentists to use lasers for diagnosing dental diseases. This is because lasers reflect differently between healthy and unhealthy teeth.

Other (non-cosmetic) Laser Surgery Procedures
According to The American Society for Laser Medicine and Surgery, any surgical procedure can be performed with lasers. "general surgeons use a variety of laser wavelengths and laser delivery systems to cut, coagulate, vaporize or remove tissue". From kidney stones to removing gallbladders, lasers are used in surgeries to replace scalpels, probes and other traditional surgery tools. This allows surgeons to be more precise, and reduces the chance of infection from contaminated surgical instruments.

It seems laser surgery is here to stay. Indeed, one might conclude that in the not-so-distant future, lasers will be used in almost every cosmetic procedure or surgery performed in the developed world. But that's a good thing, right?