Med-Spa 411: Laser Treatment for Patients with Visibly Aged Skin

The use of laser treatment to remove age spots on the face is effective in a majority of clients.  Most small spots and skin lesions that occur on the face can easily be removed through use of lasers, including small blood vessels, brown spots, age spots, freckles and other spots.  A DioLite 532 diode laser works well and causes less bruising that occurs with some pulsed dye lasers.  It offers comfortable and non-traumatic treatment of pigmented skin lesions and vascular problems in a safe, comfortable and effective way.

Are Lasers Safe?

Laser treatments are safe, having been used in many medical treatments since the 1960’s, including dermatology and plastic surgery.  It should however be used only by a trained healthcare professional. The laser works by generating a narrow but intense light beam which energizes a specific spot.  This intense light is absorbed by the bright red blood cells, or oxyhemoglobin, which carry oxygen and by the melanin and pigment in the skin.  They are then destroyed with health cells left intact.

What is Melanin?

Melanin, the source of the age spots, is a dark pigment present I the skin which is produced by melancytes.  Lesions with pigment will occur when the skin has an abundance of melanocytes.  The dark pigment multiplies, forms freckles, age spots and moles.  It also forms very small, numerous and slightly elevated dark papules or bumps on the face, known as dermatosis papulosa nigra.  This is especially common the cheeks and near the eyes.

What To Expect During Treatment

Treatment can vary from client to client according to personal characteristics and according to the area being treated. A client should wear special protective goggles to avoid exposure of the eyes to the laser light beam.  A client will be reclined and a hand piece that is pencil think will be utilized to direct the laser beam to the treatment area.  Generally anesthesia is not required.  Some clients report a light stinging sensation during the course of the treatment, and most have redness which lasts for four hours or less. There could also be some swelling which will be temporary, but there should be no discoloration or bruised areas on the skin.

Conditions Lasers Can Treat

Conditions lasers can treat include Telangiectasia, or spider veins on the face; cherry angiomasa, the slightly raised and rounded red spots or lesions; spider angiomas, red spider like lesions; rosacea, red facial color in the areas of the nose and cheeks causing a permanent sunburn appearance; lentigines, a flat brown skin spot that comes from sun exposure; keratoses, pigmented spots often found on the back and hands and slightly elevated; freckles, brownish spots in the skin common with fair complexions; an dermatosis papulosis nigra, the small dark marks seen primarily on Asian or African descent clients.