|
Professional Skin Analysis for Safe Laser Treatment |
 Laser treatment of unwanted hair is based on absorption of the laser light by the pigment in the hair follicle. The light energy is converted by the pigment into heat which damages or destroys the hair forming follicle. The light energy is also absorbed by the pigment in the skin and can potentially damage the skin causing erythema, edema and blisters. Later skin reactions can result in hyperpigmentation, hypopigmentation, atrophic scar formation or hypertrophic scar formation. The risk of these reactions is higher using higher treatment energies. It is of paramount importance to choose optimal settings for lasers or light source machines in order to minimize the risk of an adverse outcome. The choice of optimal settings is also important because energy settings that are too low may result in lack of hair removal. Most laser physicians and technicians rely on their judgment of a patient’s appearance in choosing laser settings. In order to minimize the risk of adverse reactions we believe in being very precise. We rely on more than just our clinical impressions. We take a careful history to determine the Fitzpatrick skin type. We assure that no photosensitizing medications are interfering with treatment. We utilize reflectance spectrometry with the Chromotest to guide our settings. In individuals with darker skin we sometimes do a spot test to observe the effects of the laser settings before treatment. We believe in giving our clients the most comfortable, the most effective and the safest treatment possible.
|
