Dr. Anup Nangia

Acne is irritating not only when it is active, but even after it heals. This is because it leaves behind unpleasant scars and pigmentation. Laser therapy is the best known way of dealing with these scars and pigmentation issues. It is a misconception that laser treatment is a new form of skin therapy. Laser is being used to treat pigmentation scars since 1964, however, the procedures have evolved significantly and become much more improved and effective.

How does laser therapy work?
Lasers direct intense amounts of monochromatic light at precise points on the skin. This light is emitted in short pulses. When this light hits the skin it heats the hemoglobin cells. The precision with which lasers direct this light ensures that surrounding cells are not affected.

By changing the amount of light, lasers can be used to address cells at varying depths of the skin. In the case of scars, they can destroy the excessive melanin deposits causing a scar. It can also boost collagen production.

In most cases, lasers used to treat skin issues are carbon dioxide or argon lasers. These are known as CW lasers. Laser therapy may be short pulsed or long pulsed. The difference between the two lies in the rest period between emitting bursts of light. The type of laser therapy used depends largely on the degree of scarring or hyperpigmentation.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Laser treatment

1. One of the biggest advantages of this form of therapy is its precision. Laser therapy does not affect the surrounding cells. It is also a bloodless form of therapy that does not require any hospitalization. As compared to other forms of skin therapy for scarring such a dermabrasion, laser therapy does not increase a person’s risk of infection.
2. On the flip side, laser treatment does not work well with all types of scars or all skin types. Also, some people may require multiple sessions for results to be noticeable. In cases of scarring on dark skin, laser lights can wound the capillaries in the skin. As the skin in this area heals, it may become lighter than the surrounding skin. Laser treatment can also cause raised scars known as keloids when used to treat dark skin. These scars cannot be treated with laser therapy and requires additional treatments. Laser treatment is also a little more expensive as compared to other forms of therapy.
3. If you choose to undergo laser treatment to remove scars and pigmentation, it is important to have realistic expectations. Do not expect your skin to be perfect after the procedure. While there will be an improvement, do not assume that 100% of scarring will be removed.

Did you know that it is possible to cure different skin diseases using the light therapy? Did you also know that it can improve the condition of your skin permanently? If not, here is what all you need to know.

Phototherapy or light therapy is a treatment of the skin by exposing it to a kind of artificial ultraviolet light source, under complete medical supervision. Narrow band UVB Therapy is a common form of phototherapy effective in treating skin diseases. ‘Narrow band’ refers to a particular wavelength of ultraviolet rays, about 310 to 312 nanometers applied to the skin and is used for both whole body and small area treatment.

Conventional UVB rays techniques uses broad bands, which sometimes emitted uncontrolled light resulting in discomforts like redness, dryness, inflammation of hair roots or folliculitis etc. Narrow band UVB, on the other hand, is a safer and more effective method.

Here is how narrow band is more effective than broad band-

• Shorter duration of exposure

• Higher intensity rays

• The duration of the procedure is short

• Chances of recurrence are very low

• It is also a beneficial component of sunlight, highly fruitful for treating psoriasis.

Areas of treatment- Narrow band UVB can very effectively cure several skin diseases like-

• Psoriasis

• Chronic dermatitis or eczema

• Vitiligo

Procedure- This technique needs to be repeated two to five times per week. For the whole body treatment, the patient is made to stand inside a cabinet especially designed with fluorescent tubelights. The patient stands inside after wearing googles and the rays are applied for a few seconds. Shorter bulbs are used for small areas like hands and feet. The amount of rays is sincerely monitored to prevent burns and other complications.

After-treatment results-

The skin can turn pale and pink immediately after treatment. However, after 3-4 days, your skin condition starts to heal, and eventually disappears after three weeks.

Are you fed up of tweezing, shaving or waxing the unwanted hair, then laser hair removal is the right option for you. Unwanted hair removal from different parts of the body is not only time consuming, but is also a very boring chore, which needs to be carried out on regular intervals. On top of it, the process is accompanied with the worry of bruising skin and often resulting in patches. With laser hair removal, the process has become easier and hassle free.

As per the laser hair removal process, a laser beam hits the individual hair follicle after passing through the skin. The intense heat of the laser damages the hair follicle, which inhibits future hair growth. Laser hair removal effectively slows hair growth and typically takes multiple laser hair removal sessions to completely get rid of the unwanted hair. The laser hair removal is most opted for areas such as female facial hair, bikini line hair and back hair for men. The process is most suited for people with light skin and dark hair.

Laser hair removal therapy has been classified in five methods. Although they are all different, but they function on one same principle of converting light to heat producing effect of laser. Lasers can selectively target dark, coarse hairs while leaving the surrounding skin undamaged. The process does not require any recovery time which allows one to return to work immediately.

1. Ruby Laser Hair Removal was the first cosmetic laser hair removal system. The wavelength of this laser is 694 nm. The laser damages the hair follicles keeping surrounding tissues and structures in the skin safe. It gives long term hair free results and any hair regrowth is thinner, finer and patchier than previous growth. The built-in cooling system continuously cools the skin and is least painful in comparisons with other laser hair removal systems. It can be used on small areas of skin and slow laser repetition rate resulting in better and long treatment times.
2. Alexandrite Laser Hair Removal works in a similar manner as the Ruby Laser hair removal system. The wavelength used in this system is 755 nm, which is in the red infrared part of the light spectrum. It is the fastest available laser hair removal treatments. It has excellent penetration rate and can cover large areas of skin. It also work great on albino skin and freckled skin, on which many other laser hair removal systems are ineffective. It is effective on skin with white to olive tones with thinner hair types. It is not suitable for dark skin as the skin pigment can change.
3. Diode Laser Hair Removal are made up of diodes or semiconductors operating at wavelength of 800 - 810nm. It can be used effectively darker skin coupled with thick, coarse hair making it popular with men due to its effectiveness on back and chest hair. It is the next most useful hair removal light source and the most promising laser for hair removal. The Diode laser features a longer wavelength and thus able to provide better results among dark-skinned people. This laser provides safer and deeper penetration into the skin layer. Large areas of the body tend to recover faster.
4. Nd:YAG Laser Hair Removal is the most advanced type of laser hair removal system. It works at wavelengths of 1064 nm in a double frequency mode, which creates green light at 532nm wavelengths. It is effective on all skin types, including Asian and dark skin tones. It has a fast rate of repetition and can be used on larger areas of skin.
5. IPL or Intense Pulse Light Hair Removal system is a non-coherent laser. It is flexible than laser hair removal, as there is no set laser wavelength. For this treatment parameters are set to suit one's individual needs, giving one a personalised treatment. It can cover large areas of skin and has smaller risk of damaging surrounding tissues.

Over the past few years, the use of Q-switched laser technique for removing brown spots from the skin has gained popularity. This procedure is used for laser skin treatments like laser skin toning and photo facial and has been observed to offer dramatic results. Whether it’s the sun freckles or the unwanted brown spots on the facial skin, the billionths of seconds laser energy pulse that that is projected on the skin, known as the Q-switched laser, release the skin pigment in such a way that it gets naturally reabsorbed by the body, which leads to its natural disposal.

Q-switched laser for photo facial
The term photo facial refers to a skin treatment, where light-based technology is used in order to treat the brown spots on the skin, eliminate broken capillaries and boost the collagen production. And when the Q-switched laser is used for photo facial, it makes the laser treatment more ideal for people suffering from skin issues like discolored spots, freckles, fine lines, etc. Q-switched photo facial is considered to be effective against sun spots on areas like the legs, chest, arms and other broader skin areas as well.

Q-switched laser for laser toning
Laser toning is another light-based treatment procedure that is known for its effectiveness in correcting the most stubborn of acne spots, sun spots and skin conditions like melisma that interferes with the pigmentation of the skin. The Q-switched laser for laser toning refers to the use of Q-switched lasers for skin rejuvenation. In this procedure, multiple passes of the Q-Switched laser are passed through the large spotted skin areas, to remove the blemishes. The procedure also gives you brighter and tighter skin post the process. So, you get numerous benefits from one method.

Benefits of Q-switched laser
The significant advantage of Q-switched laser for photo facial as well as laser toning is that one single treatment can remove more than 75% of the dark and brown spots. Depending on the skin condition of the patient, one may need to opt for more than two or three Q-switched laser treatments in order to get the desired skin tone that is completely even and flawless.
One must remember, that Q-switched laser treatments may not be ideal for people who have recently taken any skin treatment medications such as Accutane or women who are pregnant. So, check if you are the ideal candidate for the procedure with your physician and seek expert assistance to proceed with the treatment to achieve the desired outcome without a glitch.
 

Do you ever wish you could start all over and take better care of your skin? A chemical peel could give you that chance. Peels can dramatically reduce lines, wrinkles, acne scars, dark spots, and roughness caused by years of sun.

A chemical peel is a solution applied to the face to remove the outermost layer or layers of skin. It's a technique used to improve the appearance of the skin on the face, neck or hands. A chemical solution is applied to the skin that causes it to exfoliate and eventually peel off. The new skin that grows in its place is softer, smoother and has fewer imperfections. The new skin is also temporarily more sensitive to the sun.

There are three basic types of chemical peels:

Superficial or Lunchtime Peel: Alpha-hydroxy acid or another mild acid is used to penetrate only the outer layer of skin to gently exfoliate it. The treatment is used to improve the appearance of mild skin discoloration and rough skin as well as to refresh the face, neck, chest or hands.

Medium Peel: Glycolic or trichloroacetic acid is applied to penetrate the outer and middle layers of skin to remove damaged skin cells. The treatment is used to improve age spots, fine lines and wrinkles, freckles and moderate skin discoloration.

Deep Peel: Trichloroacetic acid or phenol is applied to deeply penetrate the middle layer of skin to remove damaged skin cells. The treatment removes moderate lines, age spots, freckles and shallow scars. A thorough evaluation by a dermatologic surgeon is imperative before embarking upon a chemical peel.

When is a chemical peel appropriate?

Chemical peels are used to treat a number of conditions including:

1. Pigmentation on face or body
2. Tanning
3. Dyschromias
4. Fine Wrinkles
5. Acne
6. Acne marks and scars
7. Dullness
8. Aging skin
9. Crow's feet
10. Sagging skin

Who should not opt for chemical peels?

Generally, light-haired and fair skinned people are the best candidates for chemical peel. The procedure is not recommended for individuals with infections, active skin disease, cut or broken skin, or sunburns. Other contraindications include patients who are:

1. Nursing or pregnant.
2. Have taken Accutane in last six months.
3. Have psoriasis, eczema, dermatitis or rosacea.

Possible complications

Temporary change in skin color, particularly for women on birth control pills, who subsequently become pregnant or have a history of brownish facial discoloration.

Changes are transient and easy to take care of if taken care properly.

1. Scarring
2. Reactivation of cold sores
3. A variety of chemical treatments can be used to exfoliate and rejuvenate the skin.

Depending on the depth of treatment required, your surgeon may choose one of the following peels:

1. Alpha-hydroxy acid peel (AHA)
2. Trichloroacetic acid peel (TCA)
3. Phenol peel
4. Croton oil peel

Aftercare and recovery

Your dermatologist will discuss how long it will be before you can return to your normal level of activity and work. After surgery, you and your caregiver will receive detailed instructions about your post-surgical care, including information about:

1. Normal symptoms you will experience
2. Potential signs of complications

In case you have a concern or query you can always consult an expert & get answers to your questions!

Acne scars look bad and often interfere with your bright looks, as they make you feel embarrassed and unfresh. You use more makeup to cover them or avoid going out in order to hide them. However, instead of hiding your face or the scars, you may try these treatment options to remove the scars instead and feel brighter and better.

1. Chemical peels: This method involves the application of a chemical peel on the skin. The acid in it removes the superficial skin layer to improve the appearance of the scar. This works well on lighter scars, and a licensed medical practitioner, nurse or cosmetologist can do this procedure.
2. Dermabrasion and Microdermabrasion: This technique involves using a high-speed brush on the skin to polish the portion of the scar and make that part of the skin even, so that the scar looks lighter. If your skin doctor feels that you don't need serious dermabrasion, then he may use a microdermabrasion where small crystals are sprayed onto the skin surface to remove the skin cells over the scar and improve appearance.
3. Fillers: Fillers are used on the skin which gets depressed due to the acne or scars. There are some binding materials like collagen or Hyaluronic acid, which can be injected through an injection, and this keeps the skin smooth, scar free and elevated for some time after which the injection has to be repeated. This has to be a continuous treatment until your skin starts to appear normal again.
4. Retinoid creams: The retinoid creams are especially beneficial on scars if applied patiently for a prolonged period. These creams come with little side effects like burning, drying or peeling of the skin, but over a medium to long-term application, all scars do get removed.
5. Laser treatment: A combination of a few types of laser treatments or just one type depending on the acne stage or redness is used. This smoothens the skin and removes the acne scars by removing skin cells from the area.
6. Punch Excisions and Skin grafting: This is a surgical technique. The acne scar can be removed by cutting a portion of the skin, and removing it. Normally, this procedure is combined with skin grafting, where the hole created by the acne is filled up either through stitches, or through grafting of the skin. This is actually the most invasive process to remove scars and only done when you have a serious, permanent and stubborn scar which can't be effectively removed by other techniques.

In case you have a concern or query you can always consult an expert & get answers to your questions!