LASER
The medicine in the service of beauty
Laser treatment of skin lesions and vascular conditions
Laser hair removal
The laser beam works by vaporizing the superficial tissues or, in the case of lasers designed for vascular structures, by selectively coagulating the vessels located in the dermis and subcutis. Small red blood vessels and capillaries on the face are the most sensitive to laser and therefore represent the treatment of choice. Conversely, larger, darker vessels, especially on the legs, do not adapt well to this method and must be evaluated case by case, as do congenital angiomas spread over a large surface area. During the treatment there will be a burning sensation caused by the heat produced by the laser beam. Immediately after each session, redness accompanied by swelling will appear, along with crusts and small bruises, which normally disappear after about one to two weeks, during which the patient will follow the prescribed therapy (antibiotic cream and soothing gel) and avoid direct sun exposure and sources of U.V. rays. The treatment sometimes requires multiple sessions, especially in cases with a very extensive vascular network.
In laser hair removal, several factors come into play in determining the real effectiveness of the treatment (hair color, varying depth of hair follicles in different body areas and even within the same area, previous treatments, as well as the hair growth phase). After the course of treatments, a reduction in the total number of hairs can be observed, in a percentage that varies from person to person. Laser hair removal therefore requires multiple sessions (on average 4 to 6, spaced one to two months apart), during each of which a variable proportion of the hairs currently sensitive to the laser beam is destroyed. During the treatment there will be a burning sensation caused by the heat produced by the laser beam, followed by redness and slight swelling that generally passes by the next day. After the treatment, the patient must follow the prescribed therapy with a soothing cream and avoid direct sun exposure and sources of U.V. rays for a few days.
DERMATOLOGY
Removal of skin lesions (moles, cysts, lipomas, angiomas)
In the case of lesions of probable nevus origin (common “moles”), surgical removal is sometimes the only effective preventive measure against the possible, though infrequent, transformation of the lesion into a malignant tumor. Furthermore, many lesions cause local discomfort or have undergone a more or less noticeable change over time. In some cases, the patient chooses surgical treatment purely for aesthetic reasons. The procedure is performed under local anesthesia, and the removed material can be sent to the laboratory for microscopic examination. For small fibromas or angiomas, microdiathermocoagulation is available, which allows for quick recovery without the need for stitches.
Surgical scar correction
Results in Scar Correction are influenced by numerous factors. Tissue scarring involves enormous individual variability, which sometimes leads to the formation of dystrophic and/or unsightly scars despite excellent medical and surgical practice. This predisposition, which is thought to also have hereditary bases, is more evident in certain body regions, which are therefore more “at risk” for the formation of dystrophic scars. Scars are generally linear, except in cases resulting from large losses of tissue, where they can be wider and irregular, sometimes involving delicate structures or sensory organs. Unfortunately, scars cannot be completely erased, but they can still be improved and made less visible. Treatments include various methods, from direct surgical correction or “z-plasty” to cryotherapy. These approaches can be combined with drug infiltrations or simple at-home therapy with creams or silicone sheets. Scars caused by acne can be improved with treatments such as peels, which smooth the skin by removing its superficial layers. In any case, the variability in treatment effectiveness means that there are no universally definitive therapies, only ones suited to specific cases based on the doctor's experience. Depressed scars can be filled with hyaluronic acid. Combining fillers and peels often gives the best results.