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Nearly 100% of all people have one or more pigmented lesion. Some are caused by sun exposure, others by aging. Still others are congenital. Regardless of the cause,
pigmented lesions are simply spots on the skin where there is a higher concentration of melanin. Some lesions are flat; others are raised. In most cases, pigmented lesions are
merely a cosmetic concern, but in some cases, they can be an early sign of skin cancer.
For most benign pigmented lesions that are of a cosmetic concern, there is a non-surgical option. By exposing a pigmented lesion to short pulses of visible light, the temperature in
the highly concentrated melanin can be raised sharply, enough to shatter the cells containing the melanin. The body then replaces these cells with new cells generated by the surrounding
untreated area.
Vascular & Pigmented Lesions ~ Photos courtesy of:
E. Follador, MD, F. Marini, MD,D. D'angelo, MD
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While there are many methods to eliminate unwanted hair, very few can eliminate hair regrowth while leaving the surrounding skin undamaged.
And photoepilation is quickly becoming the most popular. Lasers and light sources use the principle of selective photothermolysis to eliminate hair and its potential
regrowth without damaging the surrounding skin.
During a laser hair removal treatment, light passes through the skin and is absorbed by the melanin in the hair shaft.
This absorption raises the temperature of the hair follicle and thermally destroys the cells responsible for regrowth. The attributes of the light (wavelength, pulse duration and power)
are chosen to ensure damage to these cells and not to the rest of the skin.
Upper Lip ~ Photos courtesy of:
Kyle Holmes, MD
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The non-invasive laser treatment of unsightly leg veins is one of the most requested yet most challenging of aesthetic procedures.
Spider and Varicose Veins ~ Photos courtesy of:
Kasuo Miyake, MD
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As the baby boomer generation continues to age, the popularity of aesthetic procedures that aim to turn back the clock continues to skyrocket.
Brown spots, broken capillaries and other fallout from photoaging are easy targets for laser systems that use broadband light to repair these defects through a process called photorejuvenation.
Additionally, facial wrinkles can now be treated non-ablatively, contributing to a more youthful appearance. Using relatively low-energy, short-pulse broadband light,
imperfections such as erythema of rosacea, superficial telangiectasia, dyschromia, age spots and other discolored signs of photoaging can be gently heated and eliminated,
replaced by newer, younger looking skin.
Skin treatments for Wrinkles, Rosacea ~
Photos courtesy of: Rick Jackson, MD
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