1.What is cosmetic laser
These skin problems can indeed be treated with cosmetic lasers. Cosmetic laser is a class of laser from the development of the laser to clinical application is the main purpose of cosmetic laser, it is based on the development of medical laser medical laser branch system. It is based on the principle of selective photothermal action, a series of modern skin cosmetic laser machines developed in recent years.
These cosmetic lasers not only solve the difficult skin problems (nevus of Ota, hemangioma, wrinkles, hairy, etc.) to achieve good cosmetic effects, but also have the characteristics of high safety and no or little side effects, It opens up a new era of skin medical beauty.
2.What are the common types of lasers
Commonly used laser instruments are classified as follows.
(1) According to the working material is divided into solid, gas, liquid, semiconductor lasers, etc. Solid lasers and gas lasers are the earliest development, these two lasers output power is large and stable, easy to use, high efficiency (frequency), less consumables. Liquid lasers include various dye lasers, the advantages of which are more working substances, high output power, good optical properties, the disadvantages are the need to constantly replace the dye, more consumables, complex maintenance, lower efficiency (frequency). Semiconductor lasers are a class of lasers that use semiconductor materials as the working substance, and have the advantages of small size, low price, high efficiency, and long life…
(2) According to the operation mode of laser energy release, it can be divided into continuous laser, semi-continuous laser and pulsed laser. Continuous laser is to release its laser energy in a stable, continuous beam. Semi-continuous lasers also release energy in the form of pulses;
The difference is that the interval between each pulse is very short and non-adjustable, and the laser energy is released in tightly linked groups of pulses (e.g., copper vapor laser pulses are released in groups of 6,000 to 15,000 pulses per second), which is actually difficult for the skin to “recognize”. The semi-continuous laser is also referred to as a quasi-continuous laser or quasi-continuous laser. The energy of pulsed laser is released in the form of pulses, and based on the pulse width, pulsed laser can be divided into long pulse laser (pulse width of milliseconds) and short pulse laser (pulse width of nanoseconds).
(3) According to the wavelength range, they are divided into ultraviolet, infrared, visible lasers, etc. The most used in the field of skin beauty is the visible laser for the treatment of vascular lesions and pigmented lesions, etc.; the next more used is the infrared laser used to cut and vaporize skin-damaged tissue and for grinding and wrinkle removal; UV lasers for skin beauty are less common.
Generally when describing lasers, the above characteristics are described at the same time. Such as pulsed Nd:YAG laser: wavelength 1064 nm, near infrared light, invisible. He-Ne laser: gas laser, wavelength 630 nm, red light, continuous.
3.How does the cosmetic laser work
Conventional laser works by cutting, vaporizing, cauterizing, coagulating and bio-stimulating. Its treatment is non-selective, and while treating and removing the diseased tissue, it can also damage its surrounding normal tissue, leading to scarring. With the development of medicine and the continuous improvement of laser technology, more selective lasers have emerged and are constantly being introduced. Modern cosmetic laser is a medical cosmetic technology that uses specialized lasers to treat and remove lesions with precision and high selectivity, with no or few side effects, and can create excellent cosmetic results.
Unlike traditional lasers, which produce monochromatic light with high energy, precise focus and certain penetrating power, lesioned tissues can selectively absorb these specific wavelengths of laser light because they contain target substances (such as hemoglobin and melanin), while their surrounding normal tissues rarely absorb them. The laser acts on the lesion to maximize the damage to the target tissue while minimizing the damage to the surrounding tissue to achieve selective treatment.
The characteristics of cosmetic laser are:
(1) High safety: normal skin will not be damaged.
(2) Less trauma and less pain.
(3) Less bleeding.
(4) No scarring.
4.What laser treatment should you choose
Yes, the red birthmark on your face is medically known as hemangioma, and the best means to treat this kind of vascular disease is cosmetic laser. The principle of cosmetic laser treatment of hemangioma is to use the oxygenated hemoglobin in the blood to have selective absorption of specific wavelength of laser, when the laser irradiates the hemangioma, the laser energy is specifically absorbed, the hemoglobin is coagulated, the red blood cells are destroyed to form thrombus, thus blocking the capillaries, leading to local hypoxia, capillary collapse and achieve the purpose of treatment, while the damage to the surrounding tissue is small.
The laser is equipped with a power cooling system to reduce the thermal damage of the laser to the surrounding normal tissues, thus reducing the occurrence of various side effects. The main lasers for hemangioma treatment are adjustable pulse width 532nm frequency doubled Nd:NAG laser system, pulsed dye laser (585nm, 595nm), these lasers can treat not only hemangioma, but also spider nevus, capillary dilation, angiokeratoma and other vascular diseases.
5.How to choose laser treatment
Yes, the black birthmark on your face is medically called nevus of Ota, which is a disease caused by the increase of melanocytes in the dermis, and the best means to treat this disease is cosmetic laser. The principle of laser treatment for melanoma is that melanin particles (chromophores) selectively absorb high-energy specific wavelength laser light within a few nanoseconds to several hundred nanoseconds, causing the melanin particles to rapidly expand and instantly burst, forming small pigment particles that are fragmented, while the adjacent normal tissues are not destroyed. In the subsequent inflammatory process, the melanin particles are engulfed by macrophages and discharged from the body through metabolism.
The lasers used to treat nevus of Ota are Q-switched 1064 nm Nd:NAG laser, Q-switched 755 nm emerald laser and Q-switched 694 nm ruby laser, which can treat nevus of Ota as well as other deep pigmented diseases, such as brownish nevus, tattoo, eyeliner, eyebrow washing, etc. Wavelength 532 nm Nd:YAG can treat superficial pigmented diseases, such as freckles, coffee spots, age spots, etc.
6.What laser should be chosen for wrinkle removal
The new generation of cosmetic laser machine has created a new field of cosmetic wrinkle removal. Its principle is to use high energy, very short pulse of laser on the vaporization of tissue, it can make the aging, damaged skin tissue in the instant vaporization, without hurting the surrounding tissue, each irradiation of laser has tens of microns thick skin surface layer is evaporated. The treatment process does not bleed, and the disappearance of wrinkles and the contraction of the skin dermis can be seen with the naked eye. Not only can the laser energy be precisely adjusted, but the depth of action can also be precisely controlled.
Compared with other methods in the past, ultra-pulsed CO2 laser resurfacing and wrinkle removal greatly improves the precision and safety of treatment, and there is no coking peeling in the treatment area, less inflammatory reaction after treatment, simpler care and shorter recovery period. Since laser treatment regenerates the aging collagen in the upper dermis and restores elasticity, resulting in finer, plumper and smoother skin, the ultra-pulsed CO2 laser is widely used for the treatment of wrinkle removal and acne scarring, etc.
However, its application in people of color is greatly limited due to its rather high incidence of hyperpigmentation. The accuracy and safety of bait laser treatment is better than that of CO2 laser, and the damage to the surrounding normal tissues is smaller.
In addition, several kinds of non-destructive laser wrinkle rejuvenation devices have emerged recently, such as CoolTouch (Nd: YAG with a wavelength of 1 320 nm), SmoothBeam (semiconductor laser with a wavelength of 1450 nm) and Nlite (pulsed dye laser with a wavelength of 585 nm). They can act on the water in the dermal collagen tissue or the vascular tissue in the dermis and produce thermal effects to stimulate collagen regeneration and rearrangement. After treatment, skin wrinkles, especially fine wrinkles, can be reduced or even disappeared, but for medium and heavy wrinkles, the efficacy is not as good as ultra-pulsed CO2 laser and bait laser.
7.What laser treatment can be used
Traditional hair removal methods include shaving, plucking, chemical hair removal, wax hair removal, etc., whose efficacy is temporary. Although electrolysis hair removal can remove hair permanently, but the cure rate is low and the side effects are big, such as the formation of scar, affecting sweat gland secretion. The new generation of beauty laser machine can effectively and permanently remove hair, its principle is that the hair and hair follicle growth base hair matrix contains a large amount of melanin in the hair growth period, can selectively absorb the specific wavelength of laser, when the laser irradiation, the laser energy is selectively absorbed, precisely destroy the hair matrix without causing damage to neighboring tissues, to achieve the purpose of permanent hair removal.
At present, the ideal hair removal device is LightSheer semiconductor laser, which has longer wavelength, deeper penetration, longer irradiation time, and can effectively and precisely destroy the hair matrix and hair follicle in deeper location, and its treatment head also has sapphire synchronous cooling system, which is safe. There are also long pulse 694 nm ruby laser, 755 nm emerald laser and 1064 nm Nd: YAG laser systems that can also effectively remove hair.
Since the hair follicles in the body are in different growth cycles, those in the dormant phase will not be affected during the laser treatment. The laser will only work when these follicles move into the anagen phase and produce more melanin, so several more treatments will be needed at intervals to achieve long-term results. After 2 to 6 treatments, most patients can get permanent results, even if a small amount of regrowth, the regenerated hair is thinner, shorter and lighter in color than the original, which means that the purpose of clinical treatment has been achieved.
Generally speaking, the thicker and darker hairs (such as armpit hair and male beard, body hair, etc.) have good effect of laser treatment; while the finer (such as some women’s fine lip hair) and lighter or even white hairs have poor effect. In addition, the head and face of the hair in the growth phase of the proportion of higher, so the number of treatments required less, while the limbs, bikini hair required more treatments;
Hair on the head and face also requires only about 1 month between treatments because of the short growth cycle, while hair on the limbs and bikini requires 2 to 3 months between treatments. There are also studies that show that the histological structure of the sweat glands is not destroyed after laser hair removal, and the function of the sweat glands is basically unaffected in patients observed clinically. Laser hair removal has almost no side effects.
8.What is the relationship between cosmetic treatment techniques and laser treatment
In addition to laser, there are other non-invasive treatment techniques such as photon, radio frequency, intense light, photodynamic and so on, which are the development, supplement and perfection of laser cosmetic treatment. Some treatments can only be done by laser alone (e.g. nevus of Ota), some treatments can be done by both methods (e.g. facial capillary dilation), and some are best done by both methods together (e.g. skin rejuvenation and wrinkle removal). Some devices have multiple functions in themselves, and some a single device with a single function can also do different treatments. Laser, photon, radio frequency, intense light, photodynamic and other skin beauty non-invasive technologies have their own advantages in skin beauty and skin disease treatment, if they can be integrated and jointly applied to complement each other’s strengths and weaknesses, the best treatment effect can be obtained.
9. Is it true that photorejuvenation can whiten, remove wrinkles and make the skin more elastic?
In 1998, the new photorejuvenation technology began to sweep the world. This technology is effective in improving the overall condition of the face and superficial wrinkles, and it can also solve other skin problems, such as vascular diseases, pigmented diseases, rough texture of the skin, enlarged pores, etc. Because of its short course of treatment, it is convenient and quick, and it has been widely popular immediately after its introduction.
The professional name of photon should be called “Intense Pulsed Light” (IPL), which is a broad-spectrum pulsed light produced by a specific light source, and is also called intense light because it is characterized by the high brightness of the light emitted. It is not a laser, but it has the characteristics of high energy, relatively concentrated wavelength, adjustable pulse width, etc. It is very similar to laser.
Its working principle is to limit the low wavelength output through the interception of the filter, and the working spectral range is 550~1200nm. The shorter wavelengths are preferentially absorbed by the pigment in the skin and the hemoglobin in the blood, and the blood vessels are coagulated and the pigment mass or pigment tissue is destroyed and decomposed without destroying the normal skin, so as to achieve the effect of treating capillary dilation, rosacea, red spots after skin peeling, pigment spots The effect of the wavelengths of the treatment can be achieved.
The longer wavelengths act on the deeper tissues of the skin to produce photothermal and photobiochemical effects, causing the collagen and elastic fibers of the skin to rearrange and restore elasticity, thus achieving the therapeutic effect of eliminating or reducing wrinkles and reducing pores.
The advantage of photorejuvenation is that it can improve a variety of skin imperfections and photoaging at the same time. It is not limited to the face, but can also be effective on the neck, chest, and even the hands. It is painless, non-exfoliating, requires no vacation time, has minimal side effects (such as mild erythema) and has good long-term results. The effectiveness of the treatment is related to the skill of the operator. Intense pulsed photon therapy devices such as PhotoDerm (LUMENIS, USA) can also be used in combination with laser therapy devices such as VersaPulse to improve clinical efficacy.
It is important to emphasize that there are more photorejuvenation instruments on the market, both domestic and imported, and the prices vary greatly, ranging from tens of millions to more than 100,000 yuan. The effectiveness of the treatment varies greatly and is directly proportional to the quality and price of the instrument. If you need to have photorejuvenation treatment, you must go to a regular hospital or beauty institution.
10. What are the differences between photorejuvenation and laser beauty
The difference between photorejuvenation and cosmetic laser lies mainly in their wavelengths. Photons are broad-spectrum, so they are useful for substances that absorb different wavelengths (such as pigment, hemoglobin, water, etc.) and can improve pigmentation, capillary dilation (red blood) and skin texture at the same time. The laser is mostly a single wavelength, and different wavelengths have different indications and are highly targeted. In addition, the treatment energy parameters of photorejuvenation are milder than laser treatment, so the skin reaction after photorejuvenation is lighter than laser.
11. What kind of skin problems can be treated by photorejuvenation
Photorejuvenation can comprehensively solve various skin problems, which can be summarized as the following therapeutic effects.
(1) Removal or reduction of various pigmentation spots;
(2) Removal of facial redness, rosacea and capillary dilation;
(3) Smoothing fine wrinkles;
(4) shrink large pores;
(5) thicken the skin collagen layer and enhance skin elasticity;
(6) significantly improve the roughness of facial skin;
(7) Eliminate or diminish acne scars.
12.Can everyone receive photorejuvenation?
The skin is not suitable for those who are allergic to light and those who have recently applied photosensitive drugs. These people are sensitive to light and are prone to skin damage after treatment. People who have just been exposed to sunlight or are about to be exposed to sunlight should not undergo photorejuvenation for the time being. Photorejuvenation is also not ideal for pigmented spots related to genetics. Patients with scars, pregnant women, local or systemic inflammation, and those with unrealistic expectations of treatment results are not suitable for photorejuvenation.
13.How to take care of your skin after receiving photorejuvenation treatment
The skin care during the treatment period will help the metabolism of the skin and restore the youthful glow. However, it is recommended that you should use skin care products under the guidance of your doctor, stop using all functional cosmetics (various spot removal creams, wrinkle removal creams, etc.), prohibit the use of various chemical peeling treatments (also known as peeling treatments), skin grinding and the use of scrub cleansers, etc. Since one of the main causes of pigmentation spots and various kinds of photoaging is sun exposure, sun protection and the use of sunscreen are important. Of course the application of skin moisturizer is also needed.
14.I have been getting “acne” on my face, can I use laser to treat it?
It is inaccurate to say that the laser is used to treat acne. It should be said that the principle of photodynamics can be used to treat acne, because excessive sebum production and Propionibacterium acnes infection are two important causes of acne. Red light and blue light have been proven to have a therapeutic effect on acne. The principle is to use the endogenous porphyrins produced by Propionibacterium acnes, and blue light acts on these endogenous porphyrins to produce large amounts of singlet oxygen, which rapidly kills Propionibacterium acnes, and the inflammation disappears.
Red light can stimulate the body to be active and increase the activity of immune cells to achieve the purpose of anti-inflammation and repair. At present, the ideal photonic acne treatment instrument can produce 420nm light to penetrate to the depth of the skin where Propionibacterium acnes is located, killing Propionibacterium acnes. It is used twice a week, alternating between blue and red light, for 4 weeks. It is very effective in clearing inflammation and mild to moderate cystic acne.