When the streets are lined with twinkling stars in every color of the rainbow, it’s clear that Christmas is upon us. The lights that adorn houses during the Holidays inspire an anticipation that is sure to make anyone feel like a kid again. Aside from making a person feel better, however, the right light can also make a person look better. Laser technology utilizes concentrated beams of amplified light and has been increasingly used for medical applications, giving doctors yet another tool in improving their patients’ lives and appearances.
Lasers have now become part of revolutionary methods for addressing skin conditions --- acne, pigmentation, clarity, texture and even photo-aging. Take for instance, the E-Max I-Clear Blue Light (by Syneron); it uses a special high-intensity blue light to treat certain common types of acne. The light visibly reduces breakouts by targeting acne-causing bacteria. While traditional methods such as antibiotics target these bacteria as well, the results can be slow to emerge and are usually accompanied by unpleasant side effects. Exposure to the light of the I-Clear Blue Light causes bacteria in the skin to break down, thereby reducing the amount present in the skin. The treatment not only reduces the number of acute acne lesions by controlling infection in this manner, but also decreases the activity of sweat glands, creating a skin environment less susceptible to acne-causing bacteria.
The Fraxel SR Laser (by Reliant Technologies) is another laser based therapy and is the first and only dermatologic laser system to employ fractional resurfacing. Typical laser resurfacing methods work by damaging or removing the top (epidermal) layer of the treatment areas, usually on the face, neck, chest or hands. Unfortunately, in unskilled hands, this type of non-discriminatory treatment can result in visible scarring. The Fraxel SR Laser, however, treats significantly smaller areas of skin, leaving the other areas intact and undamaged. Treatments are “fractional” --- meaning that there are portions of healthy skin which surround those areas treated by the Fraxel laser and actually serve as facilitators for better healing. It is a safe, time-efficient procedure which is indicated for uneven pigmentation, melasma, age and sun spots, skin re-surfacing and wrinkle reduction, acne scars and striae.
The use of lasers has also found application in the dental field. Lasers can be used to cut both soft and hard tissue, as in during a caries/ cavity clean out. Lasers have also been used to treat pigmented gums, giving them a healthy pink color.
These are only three examples of how light can be used as more than beautiful decorations. Laser light technologies are also used in other procedures to reduce hair, treat leg veins and telangiectasias, and rejuvenate the skin. All of these laser applications are available at BH 6750 Multi-Specialty Aesthetic Institute (a registered brand of Beverly Hills 6750 CSSI Corporation). Their well-trained medical and dental staff await you to enlighten you to the many possibilities of lasers.