People tend to be afraid the moment they hear the word “laser”.
Some think lasers burn the skin, while others think they make the skin thin.
There are actually four classes of lasers.
Class 1 and Class 2 lasers are safe for our eyes, while Class 3 and Class 4 lasers are harmful to the eyes.
The word LASER is actually an acronym, which stands for “Light Amplification of Stimulated Emission of Radiation”.
Lasers can also be split into two main categories: ablative and non-ablative.
Ablative lasers can vaporise the top layers of damaged skin, for example:
This is a powerful ablative laser that is very effective in vaporising skin tissue (as water molecules in skin cells absorb the laser).
It is mainly used for skin-resurfacing treatment in cases of scars (including acne scars), wrinkles, fine lines, uneven skin tone or uneven texture.
Overall skin rejuvenation can also be done using this laser.
However, the recovery time is around five to seven days.
The skin will experience some redness and peeling, as the carbon dioxide laser penetrates deep into the skin.
This will stimulate the skin to produce a new layer of cells on the top surface of the skin, and also increase overall collagen production.
This laser is also used for skin-resurfacing treatment.
However, it has a shorter recovery time compared to the carbon dioxide laser, as it produces microthermal zones in specific spots and does not treat the entire skin.
It can also be used to treat pigmented lesions such as sun spots and freckles.
Meanwhile, non-ablative lasers do not remove or damage the top layers of the skin and can target deeper levels, for example:
This is an advanced laser using an ultra-short pulse duration, i.e. each laser pulse is one picosecond (one trillionth of a second).
It is excellent at breaking down pigments on the superficial layer of the skin.
This makes it the best choice for removing tattoos and pigmented skin lesions such as melasma, freckles, age spots and sun spots.
It also has a shorter recovery time and causes less thermal damage compared to other traditional lasers.
This laser emits yellow light at a wavelength of around 570 to 590 nanometres.
It is good for treating vascular lesions, acne and pigmented lesions.
Vascular lesions originate from the skin’s blood vessels.
Those that are benign can be removed or reduced by aesthetic treatment, including rosacea, telangiectasia and spider naevus.
Yellow lasers target specific skin areas and depth, without causing damage to the surrounding tissue.
It is safe for all skin types, painless and does not require recovery time.
This is a laser that emits a broad spectrum of light and targets multiple chromophores on the skin.
Chromophores are molecules in the skin that can absorb a certain wavelength of light and produce colour, e.g. melanin (skin colour pigment) and haemoglobin (red blood cell pigment).
Aside from treating pigmented lesions, IPL lasers can be used for hair removal.
The light energy also stimulates collagen production and helps in overall skin rejuvenation.
More and more new lasers are coming out each year, so it is important to choose the right laser treatment for your skin issue.
Wrong treatment may lead to the worsening of your skin condition.
Dr Kenneth Wong Chen Fei is a general practitioner (GP) certified in aesthetic medicine. For more information, email starhealth@thestar.com.my. The information provided is for educational and communication purposes only, and should not be considered as medical advice. The Star does not give any warranty on accuracy, completeness, functionality, usefulness or other assurances as to the content appearing in this article. The Star disclaims all responsibility for any losses, damage to property or personal injury suffered directly or indirectly from reliance on such information.
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