Medical Lasers

Posted on : March 25, 2014  By : Wellness

Although the scientific concept of lasers has been around since 1917, the first functioning laser wasn’t developed until 1960; they’re a product of the modern age, and to some people they do still seem like something out of science fiction. However, today they are regularly used for a wide range of medical treatments and procedures, from hair removal to surgery.

Here at the Apple Wellness Center we use laser equipment for a range of different treatments, including laser hair removal, tattoo removal and photo facials, so we understand the value of these marvellous machines.

Lasers first became commercially available for hair removal in the 1990s, but experimental use predated this by about twenty years. They work by targeting the melanin in the hair follicle, thereby damaging it and removing the hair. Because the melanin is dark, it’s easiest for lasers to target dark hair against light skin, but through constant development of the technology involved it’s now possible to provide laser hair removal even when both the hair and skin are dark.

For tattoo removal, lasers were used experimentally as early as the 1960s, but early procedures had limited success and generally resulted in scarring. In the 1980s, with the use of Q-switching lasers, laser tattoo removal finally became commercially feasible. Q-switching lasers produce a pulsed beam, which means that they have a higher peak power than alternatives which operate on a constant level. They can be used to target the ink in the tattoo, breaking it down into smaller pieces which can be removed by the body’s natural processes. Here at the Apple Wellness Center, we have three laser systems operating on five different wavelengths, to target different colours of tattoo ink and provide the best possible chance of a successful outcome.

You may often hear that laser treatments such as hair or tattoo removal cannot be conducted on tanned skin, either through natural tanning or fake tan lotions. This is because the laser works by targeting pigmented matter (whether that’s the melanin or the tattoo ink), and changes to the pigment in your skin can affect the laser. Modern laser hair removal treatments can actually be conducted safely on tanned skin, but you must inform the practitioner providing the treatment so that adjustments can be made accordingly. If you are in any doubt, simply allow your tan to fade before seeking treatment.

Posted in : Tattoo Removal