Laser in cosmetology: types of lasers, side effects and complications of laser cosmetology

Laser is a powerful light source. It has extraordinary characteristics and is capable of covering long distances with little divergence. Based on the unique properties of the laser beam, laser cosmetology emerged. The direction is distinguished by its ability to penetrate areas of the body that are difficult to access, control the blood circulation process, select the most suitable exposure method, adjusting the device parameters to the characteristics of the patient's body. The ability to achieve beautiful skin without cuts and perforations attracts many people. Therefore, rejuvenation and other services involving the manipulation of a high energy beam are preferred over plastic surgery and "beauty injections".

Types of lasers

For curative and corrective effects, different types of cosmetological lasers are used - it is advisable to immediately ask the cosmetologist what type of installation they use in the office. All varieties are united by the absence of consequences in the form of scars, scars, which often occur after the interventions of aesthetic surgeons.

Existsthese types of lasers:

1. Erbium. . . Penetrates superficially, eliminates the defect with maximum precision. The thermal energy generated is quickly dissipated so that nearby tissues are not damaged. The short, fast pulses, combined with the wavelength and energy density of the emitted wave, need to be balanced. Only then are the side effects of the procedure excluded. With the help of an erbium laser, stretch marks are qualitatively eliminated, tightening is performed and peeling is performed.

2. Carbon dioxide. . . It has been used in cosmetology and medicine for nearly 40 years. Indications for resurfacing with this specific type of beam are age spots on the face and body, tattoo removal, poor quality permanent makeup, post-op scar removal, previous injuries, attempts to eliminate acne on your own.

   The carbon dioxide laser (the second name of the unit) is used to perform dermabrasion - a very serious cosmetic procedure. In case of incorrect handling of the device, hasty configuration of options leads to irreversible consequences. The device allows to direct a metered high energy beam, regulate and then control the penetration depth. In one session, the beautician processes a large area of skin. Direct indications for the use of carbon dioxide laser are the need for removal of papillomas, colloidal scars and the effects of acne. The patient will be able to normalize the skin condition if it was previously problematic. The beautician will eliminate enlarged pores, smooth the surface of the epithelium. The advantage of the procedure is a low number of relapses and side effects, a short recovery period. Disadvantages - Redness lasts a long time in the treatment area (up to 2 months). The phenomenon is associated with the expansion of capillaries - small blood vessels suffer greater stress during the procedure. Allowing the wrong dose of the laser beam causes scarring, weakening or vice versa - an increase in pigmentation.

3. Ruby. . . This beam is used for hair removal. Feature - the procedure can only be performed on fair skin. By acting on tanned or naturally dark skin, you can cause pigmentation problems, with an even more serious burden, a sunburn.
4. Alexandrite. . . Generates a long-range beam that distinguishes it from its ruby counterpart. Processing requires constant external cooling of tissues. It is used for exposure on fair skin, as long as there is no sunburn. Removing hair from a person with blond hair is ineffective and even harmful.
5. Diode. . . This type of laser is used for one of the most effective types of hair removal. The beam penetration depth is not more than 4 mm. The advantage of the procedure is the absence of damage to the body's natural pigmentation.

Also appliesneodymium laser. . . The individual properties of the generated energy flow allow it to be used for a variety of purposes - from the removal of low-quality permanent makeup to depilation. In addition to affecting the hair follicle and the skin's natural pigment, the beam affects small blood vessels. They coagulate. Facilities of this type are only equipped in specialized clinics, and in conventional beauty salons their presence is quite rare.

Indications for laser treatment

The widespread use of laser in cosmetology is explained by the versatile spectrum of direction. It will be helpful to contact a beautician and sign up for the procedure for people with these skin problems:

• Acne, the consequences are scars, blue spots.
• Wrinkles are typical of mimicry, pronounced age-related.
• Scars, regardless of origin, limitation period.
• Flabby facial contours.
• Loose skin, decreased tone.
• Bags under the eyes.
• Hyperpigmentation on the face, body.
• The presence of dark circles under the eyes.
• Low quality tattoo.
• Large pores.

After treatment, the skin is velvety, smooth, soft and stretched. Defects disappear, with which the face and body acquire a uniform texture. The duration of a procedure depends on the type of laser treatment, the patient's expectations, the amount of work to be done and the degree of negligence of the existing defect. Sometimes the length of a session is predetermined by the age of the skin problem.

The choice of the beautician and contraindications for the procedure

Laser correction has been used in cosmetology for a long time. And since the introduction of the innovation, experts have established almost every feature of the body, in the presence of which it is better to refuse the procedure. The limitation is explained by the fact that exposure to a high-energy beam aggravates the course of pathological processes that are continuously present in the body.

The list of contraindications is replenished every month, as no rejuvenating and corrective effect is worth a person's life - it is the priority. The fact that you have chosen the right beautician (and not a salon, medical center) is evidenced by his desire to collect as much information about your health as possible. A competent physician always specifies absolutely all chronic diseases and also takes into account those the patient suffered in childhood. Find out about all medications taken regularly or periodically. What matters is the propensity to develop allergies, what lifestyle the patient leads, if he has had an experience of laser correction, which one he took.

Absolutely all factors matter, and if an esthetician simply signs up regardless for a visit to the procedure, she cannot be considered competent.

Having identified at least one contraindication, the doctor will suggest alternative ways to obtain the expected effect or recommend abandoning the idea of using the laser altogether.
A competent physician will never perform such procedures after knowing that a patient has:

• Low blood clotting (haemophilia, including family history), a predisposition to thrombosis.
• Autoimmune diseases - rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus.
• Inflammatory elements of unknown origin have been found in the skin of the face and body.
• Inflammatory processes and extensive skin lesions - psoriasis, dermatosis, herpes infection.
• Pre-cancerous condition.
• There are many spots on the body (over 100).
• Sunburns naturally (on the beach, for example) lead to the formation of new moles. They are a little darker than the nevi already present or do not differ in hue.
• Cancer tumors of a benign and malignant nature (location does not matter).
• Diabetes mellitus, regardless of type.
• Hypertension.
• Chronic kidney failure.
• Early postoperative period (weak immunity can cause an unpredictable skin reaction to resurfacing).
• Severe ischemia.
• Phlebeurism.
• Psycho-emotional instability, the presence of severe mental illness.
• The need to take sulfonamides, antibiotics, hormonal agents, fluoroquinolones, in addition to medications that potentiate the effect of ultraviolet radiation.
• Tendency to activate colloidal scarring.
• Family history of vitiligo.
• Pregnancy, lactation period.

The presence of these factors is incompatible with the use of laser, and all these conditions are united by a common concept - absolute contraindications. If the beautician knows of your presence, in no case will it be possible to carry out the effect with much energy. The procedure can accelerate the course of oncological processes, transfer chronic diseases to an aggravating phase and transform the moles into a malignant neoplasm.

But there are several relative contraindications - most of them are temporary and the cosmetologist just postpones the procedure to another date. These phenomena include:

1. The appearance in the affected area of acne, a boil.
2. Increased body temperature.
3. Respiratory infections.
4. Fresh tan.
5. Hypertensive crisis on the day of the planned manipulation.
6. Menstruation.
7. Visiting a chemical (acid) peel in the last 2 weeks. The skin must regenerate, otherwise exposure may cause burns.

It is impossible to characterize laser treatment as a harmless procedure. The beam penetrates the skin, by the power of energy, destroys old cells, eliminates areas with defects. If the body suffers from peculiarities, pathologies and is subject to an inadequate response to ultraviolet light, the beautician must be warned.

Side Effects of Laser Exposure

The laser beam is an invention that aims to improve the appearance condition. The procedure is really effective and has already produced obvious positive effects for many people. But even these statistics cannot guarantee against possible negative outcomes in every subsequent case. Exactly the same treatment for some patients can be a real salvation from scars, acne and wrinkles, while for others it can cause problems in the body.

All negative results have their root cause - they appear due to the illiteracy of the cosmetologist, the characteristics of the patient's immunity, the unwillingness to take care of the already treated skin surface. The laser beam can cause the following side effects:

• Burn (when the cosmetologist incorrectly chose the laser beam exposure parameters).
• Scabbing is normal for certain types of laser procedures. But the appearance of a scab, which creates pain even with mimic activity, is a pathology.
• Itching due to increased skin sensitivity.
• Redness - usually disappears after 2-3 days, subject to systematic treatment with a burn medicine.
• Scar tissue. The change in texture is the result of incorrect selection of processing parameters.
• Activation of herpes infection is the body's immune system's reaction to an irritant.

Additionally, side effects include edema and the development of suppuration in the treated area. But this only happens in the case of a bacterial infection - when the patient rubs, he combs the polished surface with a laser.

If there are no obstacles for the procedure, laser treatment of the problem area of the skin is the best option to solve the problem. For the most part, it is the beneficial properties of a high-precision beam that are described in the medical literature. Experiencing the psychological discomfort due to the observation of external inferiority, thanks to the use of lasers, many people eliminated the aesthetic imperfections and became happy.