Choosing Laser Can Be Daunting
Author: Richard Miller2 Oct
Doctors Arielle N. B. Kauvar from New York Laser & Skin Care and E. Victor Ross, M.D., director of laser and cosmetic dermatology, Scripps Clinic, San Diego, provided a quick overview of different aesthetic lasers for medical practice in this article published by Modern Medicine yesterday.
The overview is a good basic briefing on most of the laser modalities, applications and what different types of lasers have to offer. Dr. Ross is one of the veterans of the laser medicine and I like his comment on his personal favorite lasers: ”If my clinic were burning and I only had time to save two lasers, I’d save my KTP laser and my CO2 laser. They do very different things, but they’re the yin and yang that allow me to cover the widest range of indications with the fewest lasers”.
There is, however, a tremendous shift towards non-invasive and affordable treatments in the last few years. The trend is also fueled by bad economy, which caused a significant drop in more expensive invasive procedures. These days most of aesthetic physicians should consider rushing in to save their YAGs if the practice were burning.
Comparison of Nd:YAG Lasers to IPL Devices
Author: Bob Miles30 Sep
| YAG 1064 nm Lasers | Intense Pulsed Light (IPL) Devices | |
|---|---|---|
| Applications | Hair Removal, Photorejuvenation, Skin Tightening, Active Acne treatment, Telangiectasias (spider veins), Rosacea, Sun & Age Spots, Pseudofolliculitis Barbae. | Hair Removal, Photorejuvenation, Sun & Age Spots, Rosacea. |
| Efficacy | High power to dermis: more energy to follicles, vessels, collagen, sebaceous glands. | High power absorption in epidermis: less energy to deep dermal structures. |
| Comfort | Less painful due to shorter pulse durations. | Very painful due to tendency to super heat epidermal melanin. Skin cooling gels or equipment needed. |
| Risk of Side Effects | Safe on all Skin Types. | Higher risk of burning skin; not recommended for use on skin types 4-6 or tanned skin because of pigmentary risk. |
| Consumables | Few or none. | Frequent head replacements (on average after 30,000 pulses), filters and gels – annual cost $5,000-$10,000. |
Dangers of Spa Hopping
Author: newsroom25 Sep
We stumbled upon an old (March 7, 2007) article in ABC News – Spa Left Woman With Skin ‘Like Raw Meat’ – a story about a 52-year-old stay-at-home mom who saw the ugly side of medical spas. She went to one in Panama City, Fla., for what she thought was a routine procedure – laser treatments to remove sunspots on her back and chest.
“They put a topical ointment on my skin called Leveline, which intensified the laser,” Miles said. “After it was over, I was already burning. During the treatment, it was very excruciating pain, but I was lead to believe that this was normal.”
The pain, which she said felt like someone pressing hot curling irons in to her back, was not normal. After leaving the spa, she said that her back was on fire and that she was vomiting from the severe pain. When she finally looked in a mirror, Miles was shocked at what she saw.
“It looked like raw meat. I had horrendous blisters all over it. It was in a zebra-stripe type pattern. It was scary,” she said.