Lasers In Plastic Surgery
This information is of a general nature only and is for public information and education. Your individual problem needs to be assessed by your family doctor who will advise you on appropriate further steps.
Lasers in Plastic Surgery have been used in the treatment of red birth marks, spider veins, tattoos, scars, viral and plantar warts and excessive body hair. In the last few years, lasers have attracted a great deal of attention with the development of pulsed Carbon Dioxide Lasers for skin rejuvenation. A laser (Light Amplification Of Stimulated Emission Of Radiation) is light produced by various substances and which is capable converting into heat and energy to destroy the target cells. Each laser has a specific wavelength on which depends the depth of skin penetration of the laser and the colour of the tissue it affects.
Lasers which are visible to the human eye have shorter wavelength and are used for the many conditions mentioned earlier. Lasers with longer wavelengths are invisible to the human eye and Carbon Dioxide Laser and Erbium Laser are examples of this second type. These lasers are attracted to water within cells and can remove the superficial layer of skin . In addition, the Carbon Dioxide Laser is also capable of causing collagen contraction in the dermis (deeper two-thirds of skin). This combined effect (on the epidermis and dermis) and with subsequent new skin regeneration causes facial rejuvenation with improvement in the appearance and tone of skin, literally a face lift without a knife and with new, tauter skin rather than the same skin being tightened.
The short wavelength, visible lasers usually need a course of 4-6 or more treatments, with little or no anaesthesia, at intervals of between 2 weeks to 2 months and with little post treatment care. The long wavelength, invisible lasers need a single course of treatment under some type of anaesthesia and the post treatment care is very involved.
