Aesthetic procedures are used for cosmetic treatments which are invasive and beautify the physical appearance. This market grew in the late 1990s due to development in laser-based technology to perform aesthetic treatments. Aesthetic medicine is a normal procedure for health management in several developed nations. The strategies employed for marketing is implemented by vendors and clinics to draw customers to such treatments.
The primary four Medical Lasers employed are:
Diode Laser Systems– It is a semiconductor system which emits coherent radiation in visible spectrum or IR whenever current is passed through the system.
They are primarily made use in:
- Optical fibre systems
- Medical diagnosis
- Treatments
- Therapies
Used lasers generate 375-1,800 nm wavelength range. Low power systems are employed in treatments involving soft tissue like sensitive surgical treatments of the eye while high power is made use in medical aesthetics and dentistry.
These diode lasers are alternate to solid-state laser systems as they have low requirements of power. They deliver lower optical power.
Laser Solid State Systems
The laser material is spread on a solid matrix such as crystals/glass that is doped with semiconductor or transition metal ions or rare-earth. Insulator lasers or ion-doped lasers are bulk lasers, fibre lasers or waveguide lasers. These solid-state lasers produce few milliwatts output powers to several kilowatts. Two primary components of this laser are the optics and the electronic components. Mirrors and lasing crystals form the optics while power supply and internal controls are the electronics component.
Gas Lasers
The gain in gas lasers is through plasma or gas. Stimulation emission is achieved in this type of laser by gas pumping by a chemical reaction or an electric discharge. Gases used in these systems are Helium-Neon or Argon ion or Carbon dioxide. The gas type used in the system determines the efficiency, wavelength and power. In applications where the high-quality beam, long coherence or single-mode functionality is required, these systems are used.
Dye Laser Systems
A liquid dye is a mad use in this laser system as a medium of gain. Different dyes work at different wavelengths.
Dyes used are solvents like:
- Ethanol
- P-dioxane
- Dimethyl sulfoxide
Dyes are bought in powder form, but a solution made out of them is used in the system. This way, you can use the dye in the concentration desired. You can also find vapour dyes and solid laser dyes. Shorter wavelengths are obtained with Dye lasers. Different laser dye provides from UV to near IR region emission.
This laser system has the below primary components in the laser resonator.
- Dye jet
- Output coupler
- Birefringent tuner
Dye jet acts as a gain medium. Diffraction grating regulates wavelength. Etalons, filtering components for additional frequency are also present. They are tuned with computers to get the desired wavelengths. Linearly polarized light is obtained at the output depending on the tuning elements utilized.
Which of the medical laser is a cosmetic lasers?
There are two types of lasers Non-Ablative and Ablative lasers. There is an essential difference between them.
Ablative lasers– They target soft tissue and water present in the tissue. They eliminate the tissue by vaporizing the water present in the tissue.
Non-Ablative lasers-These also target soft tissue and water within the tissue. However, there is no vaporization of the water involved. These lasers are used to channelize induced heat to different depths for the generation of collagen by stimulating the collagen.
These lasers are used in the following:
- Tightening of skin
- Collagen generation
- Acne scar treatments
- Minimize pigmentation
Conclusion
Non Ablative lasers have lesser downtime. Non-ablative Lasers make use of Carbon dioxide, which is safe for both dark and light skin. However, currently, there is new technology available.
