Full Answer
What is the Alexandrite laser?
These include Ta2 Eraser™ (Light Age, California, USA), Apogee® (Cynosure, Massachusetts, USA) and Accolade™ (Cynosure, MA, USA), Individual machines may be specially designed to focus on specific skin problems. The following skin …
Does the Alexandrite laser remove brown spots from tattoos?
In medicine, alexandrite lasers have been used especially for dermatological procedures, such as professional and traumatic tattoo removal, nevus of Ota removal, leg vein treatment, and hair removal. 20-23 For hair removal, its clinical use is well established because of its suitable wavelength, which is in the midrange of the melanin-absorbing spectrum and targets the …
What does Alexandrite laser treatment feel like?
The alexandrite is most popularly known for its use in hair removal treatments, and is the most widely used laser technology for this purpose. The alexandrite is especially effective on fine and light hair, since the laser energy is so easily absorbed by the melanin pigment in hair. For thicker and darker hair, settings are adjusted for optimal performance. An entire back can be treated …
What is the success rate of alexandrite laser treatment?
The Alexandrite Laser treats tan or brown pigment associated with aging, sun damage, birthmarks, and other dermatologic conditions. 919-403-6200. ... Many patients are happy with one to two Alexandrite laser treatment for smaller brown spots. Larger pigmented areas may require a series of treatment. Once treated and healed, these spots ...
What is alexandrite laser used for?
The alexandrite laser (AL) is a very safe and effective treatment used for unwanted hair removal with a reported success rate of 40% to 80% at 6 months and after several treatment sessions.
Is alexandrite a good laser?
Conclusion: The long-pulsed alexandrite laser is safe and effective in reducing hair growth. Treatment efficacy varies with the anatomic location, pulse duration, and number of treatments. A single-pulse technique utilizing a 10 msec pulse duration at 20 J/cm2 produced the greatest hair reduction.
How many sessions are needed for the Alexandrite laser?
The colour of the tattoo and the depth of the pigment influence the duration and the outcome of the laser treatment for tattoo removal. Multiple sessions (5 to 20 sessions) spaced at least 7 weeks apart may be required to attain favourable results.
Are Alexandrite lasers harmful?
Results: One hundred and fifty patients are reported (18 men and 132 women) ranging in age from 15 to 50 years, for a total of 550 treatment sites. Complications occurred in only 2% of cases. Conclusion: The long-pulsed alexandrite laser is safe for hair removal in darker skin tones.
Are Alexandrite lasers permanent?
The Alexandrite Laser provides efficient, permanent hair reduction with clinically confirmed results. The darker a person's hair and the lighter the colour of their skin, the better the results they are likely to see.
Do you need to shave before Alexandrite laser?
It is important to shave the area to be treated the day or night before your appointment. Doing this will prevent thermal injury to the surface of the skin as there won't be hair on the surface to absorb the laser's energy. It will allow the laser to go directly to the hair follicle.
How many laser treatments are needed for legs?
The industry standards want a basic full legs laser hair removal to include six sessions. However, most people need between eight and twelve sessions to see optimal results. Again, this will vary from one patient to another. Each individual is unique and so will be their treatment.Nov 6, 2018
Can you go back to waxing after laser?
Waxing and Plucking After Laser Hair Removal Treatment? It is safe to use any type of hair removal, waxing plucking etc. any time 5 days or more after the laser treatment. The worry is any redness or irritation directly related to the laser treatment itself.
Can I shave 2 days after laser hair removal?
If you shave too quickly you may irritate the skin even more, so waiting at least three or four days after your treatment is usually ideal. A few days following your laser hair removal treatment, you may notice your hair shedding.May 28, 2019
Can you laser your vag?
Take it all off (or not) Like a Brazilian wax session, a Brazilian laser removal treatment has the goal of removing excess, scratchy hairs from your bikini line, vulvar area, and around your vagina and anus. You decide just how much you want to (permanently) remove.
Can you get HPV from laser hair removal?
Many potential risks have been associated with laser plume exposure including the risk of human (HPV) transmission; in vitro experiments have reported HPV transmission through laser plumes.Nov 18, 2013
Is laser hair removal cancerous?
Can laser hair removal cause cancer? It's a myth that laser hair removal can cause cancer. In fact, according to the Skin Care Foundation , the procedure is sometimes used to treat certain forms of precancerous lesions. Different lasers are used to treat sun damage and wrinkles.
What is an alexandrite laser?
The alexandrite laser is a solid-state laser employing a gemstone called alexandrite.12 The alexandrite laser (chrysoberyl [BeAl 2 O 4] doped with chromium ions [Cr 3+ ]) has been a commercially available laser system for medical applications 13 and can be pumped with pulsed flashlamps, continuous arc lamps, or laser diodes. 14 Its primary wavelength is 752 nm. A tuning range from 710 to 820 nm is possible under optimum operating conditions. A frequency-doubled alexandrite laser (2 ω) is possible using a converting medium. A barium beta-borate (β-BaB 2O; BBO) crystal is used to create frequency doubling from 752 to 376 nm. At this wavelength, there is good absorption in water and hydroxyapatite, which may be exploited for preparation of dental hard tissue 15-19 ( Figures 17-3 and 17-4 ).
What is the wavelength of an alexandrite laser?
The alexandrite–chromium doped chrysoberyl (Cr 3 + :BeO.Al 2 O 3) laser is a broadly tunable solid-state vibronic system that operates at wavelengths between 700 and 800 nm. The growth of alexandrite crystals for laser application was begun in the early 1970s, and in 1974 the first alexandrite laser (working in a three-level scheme, as ruby) was put into operation (Morris and Cline, 1976 ). Since 1977, when its tunability was discovered (four-level scheme) ( Walling et al., 1985 ), significant progress has been made in alexandrite’s crystal growth, and its other laser properties have been intensively investigated ( Morris and Cline, 1976; Cline et al., 1979; Walling et al., 1980). Due to beryllium being extremely poisonous, alexandrite crystals are produced by a limited number of companies (Allied Corp.) and their price is obviously very high. Their particularly significant properties include the fact that alexandrite lasers do not only operate well at room temperature, but, due to unusual excited state properties, their performance actually improves at elevated temperature. Alexandrite lasers have been operated in most of the basic configurations used in solid-state laser technology, including pulsed and CW, Q-switched, and mode-locked regimes. The fundamental output of alexandrite, nominally 755 nm, is valuable for spectroscopic studies. More interesting for photochemical applications is the frequency doubled band (SHG) from 360 to 400 nm, where many photochemical reactions are realized. Due to Raman shift, it is possible to reach other wavelengths in the IR region. With the help of non-linear optical technique, it is possible to cover the wavelength region from 170 nm to 18 μm. The pumping of alexandrite lasers is performed by flashlamp as well as coherently by argon (see Chapter 6) or semiconductor laser ( Chapter 8 ). The alexandrite laser itself can be used for coherent pumping of other laser materials such as Nd:YAG, Cr:forsterite, and others. The main characteristics of alexandrite crystal and laser are summarized in Table 5.7.
How does laser therapy work?
Conventional nonsurgical periodontal therapy entails debriding the affected area of bacteria, endotoxins, and hard deposits from the tooth structure to restore gingival health.8 Instrumentation is focused on the tooth structure, and debridement most often is accomplished by means of manual and power scaling. In the future, lasers also will be used for root debridement.
What lasers are used for green tattoos?
All Q-switched lasers work well with black and India ink, but the Nd:YAG (1064 nm) and alexandrite lasers have the best results for these colors. The ruby laser is the most effective laser for green tattoos but will not remove red. The double-frequency Nd:YAG is effective for red but not green colors, and it may be effective for some oranges, yellows, and purples. The alexandrite appears to be effective for blue, black, red, and green but does less well with orange and yellow.
What is the best laser for telangiectatic veins?
For small telangiectatic leg veins in fair-skinned patients, the pulsed KTP laser has become the treatment of choice. The Versapulse KTP laser (Lumenis, Santa Clara, California, U.S.) uses the following parameters: a spot size of 3–5 mm, pulse duration of 10–15 ms, and fluences of 14–20 J/cm2, which have proven to be effective. A 4°C chilled tip provides epidermal protection. Side effects include transient erythema, crusting superficially, and purpura. When administering the pulsed KTP laser, lower fluences must be employed in the darker skinned or tanned patient because of their increased melanin and its absorption of green light. This increased absorption is more likely to increase the risk of epidermal damage. Treatment failure, consequently, is higher in this subset of patients because the lower fluences are not very effective in coagulating the target vessel. Patient acceptance of this laser treatment system is high with minimal treatment discomfort of the longer penetrating wavelengths and a relatively uncomplicated postoperative course.11 Other technologies including the Aura (Laserscope, San Jose, California, U.S.) have produced comparable results.
What wavelength is used for telangiectasia?
This system recently has been applied to the treatment of leg telangiectasia and reticular veins, less than 3 mm in diameter, with good results. The longer wavelength (755 nm) provides deeper tissue penetration and an ability to treat larger diameter and more deeply situated vessels. Although hemoglobin absorption of this wavelength is lower than that of 532 and 595 nm wavelengths, it is sufficient to achieve photocoagulation of a wide range of vessel sizes with the use of higher fluences. Optimal treatment parameters for the long pulsed alexandrite laser include 20 J/cm2, double pulsed at a repetition of 1 Hz. To penetrate tissue more deeply and to allow greater thermal diffusion time to treat larger vessels, the alexandrite laser has been modified to provide pulse duration of up to 20 milliseconds. Side effects include purpura, matting, and long-term pigmentary alterations due to melanin absorption.
What is the best laser for spider veins?
The treatment of choice for spider and feeding reticular veins has become the long-pulsed Nd:YAG laser (1064) . As discussed earlier in the chapter, spot sizes, energy, and pulse duration can be adjusted to target both small telangiectasias and larger reticular veins with a single device. In addition, this system via its utility of a longer, deeper penetrating wavelength and subsequent epidermal bypass increases the efficacy of this system in treatment of darker skin phenotypes. This system also addresses issues stemming from the hydrostatic pressure of feeder and reticular veins because veins up to 3 mm can be treated, although the patient's tolerance to pain may become an issue as pain increases with treatment of larger vessels. The newer pulsed 1064 nm lasers have pulsed durations between 1 and 200 milliseconds [Vasculight Lumenis (Palo Alto, California, USA), Cool touch Vantage (San Jose, California, USA), Cool Glide Excel (Burlingame, California, USA), Lyra (Laserscope, San Jose, California, USA), Gemini (Laserscope, San Jose, California, USA), and Sciton Profile, Sciton (Palo Alto, California, USA)]. For superficial vessels less than 1 mm in diameter, the optimal parameters include small spot sizes of <2 mm, short pulse durations of 15–30 ms, and high fluences of 350–600 J/cm2. For reticular veins, 1 to 4 mm in diameter, larger spot sizes (2–8 mm), longer pulse durations (30–60 ms), and moderate fluences (100–370 J/cm 2) should yield successful results. As a result, the Nd: YAG laser has been embraced by many clinicians worldwide as the state of the art for laser treatment of lower extremity vessels.
What is Alexandrite laser?
Alexandrite Laser technology uses the selective photothermolysis approach, meaning that a timed pulse of an energy-filled laser beam channels through the surface of the skin to the the targeted treatment area. The laser is converted to heat energy in order to dissolve the unwanted skin cells or hair follicle.
Can lasers lighten tattoos?
The lasers are able to substantially lighten and/or remove tattoo ink with a low risk of scarring, particularly for light-skinned patients . Green and black inks are especially easy to remove, since the base laser color ranges from red to yellow.
What is the best laser for hair removal?
The alexandrite is most popularly known for its use in hair removal treatments, and is the most widely used laser technology for this purpose. The alexandrite is especially effective on fine and light hair, since the laser energy is so easily absorbed by the melanin pigment in hair.
Does Alexandrite laser work for brown spots?
Many patients are happy with one to two Alexandrite laser treatment for smaller brown spots. Larger pigmented areas may require a series of treatment. Once treated and healed, these spots typically do not return. Using sunscreen and wearing sun protective clothing will help prevent new pigmentation from forming.
Is Alexandrite Laser safe?
The FDA has cleared the Alexandrite Laser to safely treat a number of issues related to skin tone and pigmentation. The Alexandrite Laser has an excellent safety profile. Like any surgical or non-surgical procedure, there are risks.
What is Alexandrite laser?
The Alexandrite Laser lightens pigmented lesions (age spots, brown spots, etc.) on Caucasian to olive skin tones. This is the most sensitive and aggressive laser out there, and is the most highly-effective laser on the market. Removing pigmented lesions is the process of removing darker spots on the skin by means of exposure to pulses ...
How long does laser treatment take?
A treatment could take as little as a few minutes to as long as an hour, depending on the area and condition being treated. The number of sessions depends on the treatment you require and the condition of your skin. Many factors impact the efficacy of individual laser treatments, including the severity of the condition being treated, your ability to stick to the prescribed appointment schedule to maximize treatment benefit, and following safety guidelines. All of these things will be discussed with you in greater length during your thorough initial consultation.
What is the treatment for pigmented lesions?
The treatment of pigmented lesions continues to evolve as new laser technology emerges and improvements in existing devices are made. The ability to treat pigmented lesions with greater efficacy and safety has resulted from recent advances in laser technology.
Is melasma a genetic condition?
Melasma represents a common dermatological disorder of skin pigmentation that affects sun-exposed skin in females and which can also negatively influence the quality of life and cause substantial psychological and social distress. Whether this condition is acquired or genetic is still controversial; it clearly correlates with UV light exposure, a genetic predisposition, and hormonal variations (i.e., pregnancy, changes in uterine or ovarian hormones, oral contraceptives), but it can onset also in patients with hepatopathies and after cosmetic drug use (R. Yalamanchili et al. 2015).
What is IPL in dermatology?
According to the literature, intense pulsed light (IPL) represents a versatile tool in the treatment of some dermatological conditions (i.e., pigmentation disorders, hair removal, and acne), due to its wide range of wavelengths. The authors herein report on 58 unconventional but effective uses of IPL in several cutaneous diseases, such as rosacea (10 cases), port-wine stain (PWS) (10 cases), disseminated porokeratosis (10 cases), pilonidal cyst (3 cases), seborrheic keratosis (10 cases), hypertrophic scar (5 cases) and keloid scar (5 cases), Becker's nevus (2 cases), hidradenitis suppurativa (2 cases), and sarcoidosis (1 case). Our results should suggest that IPL could represent a valid therapeutic support and option by providing excellent outcomes and low side effects, even though it should be underlined that the use and the effectiveness of IPL are strongly related to the operator's experience (acquired by attempting at least one specific course on the use of IPL and one-year experience in a specialized centre). Moreover, the daily use of these devices will surely increase clinical experience and provide new information, thus enhancing long-term results and improving IPL effectiveness.
Is a tumor of the visceral organs occult?
Malignant tumors of visceral organs are a fundamental feature of familial cancer and paraneoplastic syndromes. In many instances, the presence of an internal and often occult malignancy may be forewarned by various external manifestations. Several of these findings are preferentially localized to the head and neck region, including the oral cavity proper. This places the dental practitioner in a unique position to detect these "markers" of occult neoplastic involvement. Because these markers may present before an established syndrome or cancer diagnosis, even representing the first expression of disease in some cases, early recognition by a dentist may lead to timely diagnosis and management of these cancer-associated syndromes.
What is SK laser?
Macular seborrheic keratoses (SK) are common, benign growths . A novel fractionated 1927-nm thulium fiber laser was selected to investigate efficacy and safety in the clearance of macular SK in nonfacial areas at a private dermatologic laser center. Six subjects (average age 56.8 ± 9.5) with at least four 3-mm or larger macular SK on one extremity, neck, or chest were enrolled and provided informed consent. Subjects received three treatments at 3- to 4-week intervals. Subjects were treated at settings of 10 to 20 mJ with 30% to 55% surface area coverage and four to eight passes at each session. Investigators performed a global extremity SK count, an SK count within a 5- by 5-cm (25 cm (2)) square on transparency mapping, and lesion thickness grading. Side effects were assessed. Patients rated pain using a visual analog scale. At baseline, average global SK count was 43.2 ± 27.3. At 1-month follow-up, 20.7 ± 16.6 lesions remained. At 3- and 6-month follow-up, 17.7 ± 23.8 and 14.7 ± 18.6 lesions remained, respectively. A decrease in thickness and SK counts within the 5- by 5-cm square was also observed. Moderate erythema and mild edema were post-treatment responses. Nonablative fractional resurfacing using the 1927-nm thulium fiber laser is a safe and effective treatment modality to decrease nonfacial macular SK.
Can depigmentation be used for vitiligo?
In patients with extensive vitiligo, depigmentation therapy is often preferred over attempts to restore skin color. Bleaching creams sometimes fail to permanently depigment the skin, leaving disfiguring pigmented patches. This recalcitrant pigmentation may be treated with Q-switched laser technology. The objective was use the Q-switched alexandrite laser to treat recalcitrant pigmentation after unsuccessful attempts at total-body depigmentation for vitiligo. We have attempted to destroy the remaining melanin pigmentation in a 68-year-old woman with vitiligo by using selective photothermolysis from a Q-switched alexandrite laser. Excellent results were achieved after 10 treatment sessions, with no recurrence of pigment after 1 year of follow-up. The Q-switched alexandrite laser was used successfully and safely in a vitiligo patient with recalcitrant pigmentation after unsuccessful depigmentation therapy and may prove useful in other such cases.
What are pigmented lesions?
Pigmented lesions of skin are common situations that can lead to cosmetics and psychological disorders. In last twenty years, usage of lasers in the treatment of pigmented lesions is increased with the introduction of Q-switched lasers. Pigment specific and pigment nonspecific lasers can be used safety and effectively in the treatment of various pigmented lesions including lentigo, nevus, melezma, ephelides, cafe au lait macules, Becker's nevus and postinflammatory hyperpigmentation. Pigmented skin lesions are evaluated by their epidermal, dermal-epidermal and dermal locations and the most appropriate laser system is chosen by its location. The risk of complications and malignancy should be considered very carefuly before the treatment and the most appropriate laser system should be chosen for the patient. Efficacy and safety of the laser treatment is very high in selected patients which were treated by appropiate laser systems.
