Cosmetic Laser: Light Becomes You
It is probably a good idea, before we look into what a cosmetic laser actually is, to start from the basics and simply discuss what a laser is. In brief, laser is a beam of light. To be a tad more precise, it is a beam of light which has two very particular characteristics: it is a of a single, pure color (in technical terms, it is single-wavelength) and it is very focused, that is, it can affect a very small and defined area. The word laser itself is an acronym, meaning Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation.
Once this couple of basic facts is cleared up, another major differentiation, which is key to the use and success of laser in the cosmetic and medical field, must be made: the distinction between ablative and non-ablative lasers. Once more, these are fairly elaborate words that express quite a simple condition: ablative lasers essentially burn away and vaporize the outer level of the skin, while non-ablative ones work on a deeper level and remove no outer layers. The significance of this fact is obvious: if only non-ablative lasers are used, patients sustain no injury nor trauma, and thus have no need for any downtime.
With the basics settled down, we can at last move to the description of why lasers can be used for cosmetic purposes - that is, in brief, how they function. And this involves another difficult word for a simple concept: "selective photothermolysis", which means precisely focused (selective) destruction (lysis) of an area of the flesh, by heat (thermo) which is produced by a beam of light (photo). This is obtained through modulation of the laser light to sync with the color of the target area, so that it gets rid of the blemish - as you probably remember, we described how lasers are of one specific color.
This results in the clear explanation of why so many subcategories and variations - numbering well into the hundreds at this time - of laser types have been created. It must be kept in mind that what differentiates lasers between one another is the wavelength of the light they generated, as we explained above: the reason for this is that, essentially, different wavelenghts of light translate to different visible colors, and different colors are needed to treat different skin issues. The wavelength to erase a tattoo isn't the same needed for hair eradication; the one for treating scarring is not the same as the one for laser lipolysis. It appears clear, then, why so many kinds of lasers exist: the broad variety assures that the right one can be found to treat any kind of skin blemish or problem. So much so, in fact, that a given surgeon might suggest a mix of several different laser treatments to address the whole spectrum of problems a patient may present.
Once this couple of basic facts is cleared up, another major differentiation, which is key to the use and success of laser in the cosmetic and medical field, must be made: the distinction between ablative and non-ablative lasers. Once more, these are fairly elaborate words that express quite a simple condition: ablative lasers essentially burn away and vaporize the outer level of the skin, while non-ablative ones work on a deeper level and remove no outer layers. The significance of this fact is obvious: if only non-ablative lasers are used, patients sustain no injury nor trauma, and thus have no need for any downtime.
With the basics settled down, we can at last move to the description of why lasers can be used for cosmetic purposes - that is, in brief, how they function. And this involves another difficult word for a simple concept: "selective photothermolysis", which means precisely focused (selective) destruction (lysis) of an area of the flesh, by heat (thermo) which is produced by a beam of light (photo). This is obtained through modulation of the laser light to sync with the color of the target area, so that it gets rid of the blemish - as you probably remember, we described how lasers are of one specific color.
This results in the clear explanation of why so many subcategories and variations - numbering well into the hundreds at this time - of laser types have been created. It must be kept in mind that what differentiates lasers between one another is the wavelength of the light they generated, as we explained above: the reason for this is that, essentially, different wavelenghts of light translate to different visible colors, and different colors are needed to treat different skin issues. The wavelength to erase a tattoo isn't the same needed for hair eradication; the one for treating scarring is not the same as the one for laser lipolysis. It appears clear, then, why so many kinds of lasers exist: the broad variety assures that the right one can be found to treat any kind of skin blemish or problem. So much so, in fact, that a given surgeon might suggest a mix of several different laser treatments to address the whole spectrum of problems a patient may present.