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Today's advanced laser technology allows us to safely, easily, and effectively treat many benign skin lesions painlessly, on an out-patient basis. The four main types of lasers used to treat various skin conditions are: argon, pulsed-dye, neodymium:YAG and carbon dioxide.
How does a laser work?
The word LASER is an acronym for Light Amplification by the Stimulated Emission of Radiation. Medical lasers use an intense beam of light to gently remove unwanted, damaged, or diseased cells without harming the surrounding healthy cells. The laser's energy may be delivered as a continuous wave of light or in pulses, depending on the treatment and the type of laser used.
What is a vascular lesion?
Skin blemishes due to abnormal blood vessels located directly under your skin's surface that give the skin a red color are called vascular lesions. Port Wine stains, strawberry hemangiomas and spider veins (telangiectasias) are all forms of vascular lesions.
What is a pigmented lesion?
Pigmented lesions are caused by a proliferation of melanocytes in the skin. Melanocytes are the cells that manufacture melanin, which is the dark pigment in skin. Most of us have some form of pigmented lesion. They include brown age spots (lentigines), freckles (ephileds), and moles (nevi). Lesions without color are called non-pigmented lesions. They include warts and skin tags.
What results can you expect?
Most patients will see improvement in their vascular and pigmented lesions. The improvement can be quite dramatic. However, as with any surgical procedure, there is always a possibility that only minor changes will occur and in rare cases there is no response.
What other skin conditions can lasers treat?
Other skin conditions treated with lasers include: aging and sun-damaged skin, tattoos, moles, warts, skin tags, stretch marks, acne and hypertrophic scars.
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