Patient Education: Effective treatment

Sharjah-based dermatologist Dr Minal Patwardhan puts the spotlight on "miracle" drugs and treatments every fortnight. Today: Laser


Laser is an acronym for Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation.

Advances in Laser technology have progressed so rapidly in the last decade that it is now possible to treat a variety of cutaneous concerns and congenital defects.

Because of patient demand and insufficient knowledge, many people are led to believe that Lasers are a panacea for everything. But not every condition can be treated by Laser.

How do Lasers work?
Lasers are a light not radiation (as in X rays) which are of a particular wavelength. This light is absorbed by specific structures in the skin and tissues to give the appropriate results. The absorbing target tissues are called Chromophores.

As per the application required a specific Laser is used, which is taken up by the target. Here it is converted to heat which destroys that particular tissue. Like in the case of hair removal the black colour (melanin) of the hair is the target. The light passes down the hair shaft and kills only the root of the hair.

Similarly Laser 9 used to treat veins target the blood pigments and destroy the blood vessels.

Where can Lasers be used?
Lasers are used as cutting media to treat malignancies surgically. Lasers achieve a more precise surgical means and also limit the bleeding.

For aesthetic purposes
We have Lasers to treat wrinkles. These are again the invasive or resurfacing ones and also we have the non-invasive photo rejuvenation.

Hair removal
Lasers are available for hair removal or photo epilation. Only remember that multiple sittings are required and one can never promise a hairless skin. The cosmetic results for hairy people are fantastic but patient expectations have to be realistic.

Scars
Like with wrinkles either we can literally SKIN the patient or else use a slower but non invasive technique. Deep scars require surgical intervention.

Tattoos and pigmentation
Specific Lasers are used to treat specific tattoo colours and so also freckles, lentigens and certain moles. Melasma or hormone pigmentation cannot be treated with Lasers.

Vasclar Lesions
Varicose veins, spider veins, broken capillaries, redness and birth marks can be treated successfully with vascular Lasers. Again multiple sittings are normally required.

Vitiligo and psoriasis, acne
Now we have Laser technology to treat these conditions and though the treatment is not permanent it is quick and the patient remains disease free for longer time frames.

Drawbacks

Cost
Because of our skin colour there are limitations because we don't like to use invasive lasers nor too strong energies because post Laser pigmentation and scarring is very tedious to treat.

Contrary to beliefs no Lasers cause cancer or have any syatemic effects in the long run simply because these are 'light' and not stored in the body nor cause any mutational changes. All in all Lasers are a fantastic evolution for therapies but not an universal panacea.