A laser can be defined as an optical source that emits photons in a coherent beam. Lasers were first discovered in the year 1960 and were proposed as a variation of the 'maser' principle at that time. Laser technology has improved manifold since that time and has found applications in varied fields such as science, industry, medicine, and consumer electronics.
The use of lasers has become very common in different fields of medicine such as dermatology, surgery, plastic surgery, dentistry, ophthalmology, and cosmetic procedures. These lasers are referred to as aesthetic lasers. They produce an intense beam of light with insignificant dispersion over a short distance for the treatment of various skin disorders. They are used for precise tissue destruction of skin lesions without affecting the skin tissue in the surrounding areas. The water present in naturally occurring pigments such as melanin and hemoglobin absorbs laser beams used in non-invasive surgical procedures. This has made it one of the most preferred operative tools for dermatological treatments. Aesthetic lasers can be used for the treatment of various skin conditions such as Port Wine stains, spider nevi, warts, acne scars, moles, and Lentigenes (age spots).
Apart from these, aesthetic lasers are also used for removing body hair and give excellent results in fair-skinned people. Laser hair removal may take multiple sessions but re-growth is thinner, slower, and scantier after each session. They are used for skin resurfacing in case of scars and wrinkles and involve the removal of thin layers of irregular skin. Tattoos can also be removed using aesthetic lasers in multiple sessions depending on color and depth of the pigment used in tattooing.
The success of an aesthetic laser treatment depends a great deal on the skills and experience of the cosmetic laser surgeon. This makes it very important to verify the past records before selecting a surgeon for aesthetic laser treatment.
