“Once a novel concept of science fiction, lasers are transforming skin care as we know it,” says Dr. Lindsay Clark, MD, a specialist in anti-aging and metabolic medicine. “Innovations in the skin care industry often utilize laser technology to treat a multitude of conditions such as precancerous skin removal, tattoos, and skin resurfacing.”
Let’s take a look at some of the conditions that dermatologists are effectively treating with laser therapies.
Tattoo Removal
Over the past decade, tattoos have been on the rise with more and more. A majority of Americans have at least one tattoo on their body. At the same time, the number of people interested in removing tattoos has also dramatically increased, leading to many innovative technologies that can effectively and safely remove unwanted tattoos.
It works with laser beams that are concentrated to create bursts of energy that heat the ink in the dermis layer, which breaks down the ink into smaller particles. Something to note is the color of the tattoo can result in different outcomes. Often tattoos with multiple colors will need lasers in different light frequencies to break down the color over a potentially longer treatment period.
However, black, and blue ink have been shown to respond most effectively to laser treatment therapy. Once the ink is broken down into small particles, the body then begins to remove them naturally through our immune system.
As with all medical procedures, there are chances of side effects. If you go to a reputable professional referred by your doctor, there are minimal side effects to laser tattoo removal. However, you should consider the following factors in your decision:
- The tattoo removal site can become infected.
- Permanent scarring
- skin discoloration
“Tattoo removal at tattoo studios or medical spas is safer than removing the tattoo yourself, however, it still poses risks to your health,” says Dr. Lindsay Clark. “A board-certified dermatologist can better guide your health and manage any potential side effects the best.”
Pre-cancerous treatments
Lasers utilized by dermatologists can effectively treat many different kinds of conditions on the skin. Some of these conditions include precancerous lesions and certain kinds of skin cancer. Lasers can treat precancerous lesions by vaporizing the top layers of the epidermis effectively destroying the lesion. There are a few advantages to utilizing lasers over traditional surgical procedures. To start, lasers are much faster at performing treatment and yield higher levels of accuracy. In addition, the risk of infection is lower as no surgical procedure is conducted. This laser treatment comes with faster healing times compared to surgical procedures treating the same condition. However, something for consideration is laser treatments are often more expensive and are not as readily available everywhere.
Common side effects experienced after a laser treatment
- Redness
- Swelling
- Scaring
- Bleeding
- Skin Discoloration
Lasers for birthmarks
Lasers such as pulsed dye lasers can be safely utilized on infants and children to treat a range of birthmarks and skin conditions including port wine stain and hemangioma birthmarks.
“Laser therapy is also an effective treatment for certain kinds of birthmarks, often yielding impressive outcomes,” says Dr. Clark. “Patients undergoing laser treatments for birthmarks like port wine stain or hemangioma often experience impressive results and pain experienced during recovery is minimal.”
Treatment is typically repeated one to every three months depending on your dermatologist’s judgment. The pain can be described similarly to a light sunburn while your skin is healing from the treatment. While the skin is healing it is important to avoid sunlight after your treatment and to make sure that the skin is allowed to fully heal in between treatments.
Laser skin resurfacing
Also known as a laser peel it can help reduce wrinkles, scarring, discoloration, and blemishes on the skin. The next-generation lasers that have been introduced to the market have yielded higher levels of control resulting in more satisfactory results with less recovery time, even in delicate areas! Your dermatologist will use concentrated pulsing beams of light over irregular or damaged skin, removing one layer at a time.
Due to the higher levels of control and accuracy lasers provide it results in fewer complications related to hypo-pigmentation, or lightening of the skin. When the pulsating light comes in contact with the skin it removes the outer layer of skin, called the epidermis. At the same time, the layer underneath the epidermis, the dermis, is heated up. This stimulates the growth of new collagen fibers that will ultimately help form new tissue that is smoother and firmer.
Before undergoing laser treatments of any kind, patients should consult with their board-certified dermatologist to ensure they’re getting the right treatment tailored to their skin needs and concerns.
“Patients should let their physician know all of the skin care products, medications, and supplements that they are taking, as some medications can make the skin more sensitive to laser light wavelengths,” advises Dr. Clark.
The outcome of your laser procedure is highly based upon the skill of the person performing the procedure. The convenience of non-medical settings like spas and shopping malls offer convenience. The limited training, supervision, and equipment can be a hazard to your health. A board-certified dermatologist can help you determine the right treatment for any of your skin, hair, or nail issues and has the expertise to perform laser therapies.*
About Lindsay Clark
Dr. Lindsay Clark is the Medical Director & CEO of Entrada Medical Group. She has dedicated her career to helping patients at their most vulnerable as an ER, ICU, and CCU doctor at John Muir Medical Center and Alameda Hospital. She studied post-graduate physical chemistry at Stanford University and is a proud member of the American Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine and the American College of Cardiology.
