Most of us have heard about laser treatments, mainly in the area of dermatology, everything related to the skin: laser to remove spots, to remove tattoos, to reduce wrinkles. Since it is such an applied technique, we must know its basic principle of operation, as well as the benefits and risks involved in its use in current dermatological treatments.
What is the effect of the laser on the skin?
When we apply this controlled ray of light on our skin, it can do two things with the light: 1) it can catch it and maintain it (absorption process) or 2) it can reflect it and move it away from it (dispersion process).
The light that is trapped by the skin can generate three types of actions: heat (photothermal process), chemical reactions (photochemical process), or movement (photomechanical processes). Of these three actions that can cause laser light, the most important is heat. This heating effect produced by light on the skin is the basis of the many applications that the laser currently has.
How does the laser work in skin treatments?
In dermatological treatments with laser, the heat produced with it is used to remove the superficial layers of skin: at high temperatures, the skin proteins die (become denatured) and contract. For example, collagen, the main protein of the skin, when heated to more than 70 degrees Celsius dies, and if the skin continues to heat a little more, when 100 degrees Celsius is reached, the water evaporates, the tissues they dry and finally carbonize.
This ability to “cook the skin” results in one of the main uses of laser in dermatology: skin ablation or more commonly called laser rejuvenation. But we must not think that the laser is placed on our skin and allowed to burn indiscriminately, no, the technological advance has allowed the development of selective photo thermolysis, a technique in which controlling the characteristics of the skin and the properties of the laser. You can choose which elements to burn, leaving the areas around these elements intact.
When applying this technique, we must know what elements we want to burn, and with this information, we adjust the laser so that it only burns that. For example, we want to remove a freckle, if our skin is white, the freckle is darker than the bottom, and the laser can easily distinguish between them, according to the type of light it catches or absorbs. The adjustments that must be made in the laser so that it can distinguish the different elements that make up the skin are based on: the type of light they absorb, the amount of heat they need to die and the time that the element lasts to cool.
Some uses of laser in dermatology are:
- Skin rejuvenation (of the skin)
- Tattoo removal
- Acne treatment
- Removal of warts or petty
- Hair removal (laser hair removal)
- Stain removal
- Psoriasis treatment
- Treatment of scars
In Montreal, a top cosmetic dermatology clinic called Clinique Chloé Médico Esthétique remains a profound example of a top clinic housing some of the best aesthetic medicine professionals. It is founded by Dr. Chloe Sylvestre where she is joined by a team of highly qualified and experienced professionals. The clinic has been handling all kinds of cosmetic dermatology cases, including dermal fillers, skin lasers, botox treatment, and body sculpting. The clinic is preferred by thousands of clients who always trust the value and quality of service professionals at Clinique Chloé Médico Esthétique have to offer.
Benefits of using laser treatments:
- Non-invasive: It is considered a little or minimally invasive technique, with a high safety profile and relatively short recovery times. This is because it causes very little damage to the tissue around the target area.
Effective: Its high effectiveness has been demonstrated in the many treatments of skin diseases in which it is applied, including psoriasis and acne.