Sun exposure may do a number on skin, but that doesn’t mean all light is detrimental. In fact, laser optics for skin care are the secret behind many highly effective cosmetic procedures that lead to more youthful, clearer skin.
Hair removal, removal of age spots or tattoos, elimination of fine lines or acne scars and stimulation of collagen can all be accomplished with special lasers that target chromophores in the skin. Laser wavelength, pulse duration, and pulse intensity are carefully controlled to ensure optimal results and minimal undesired effects.
Laser Optics in Skincare: Tattoo Removal in Focus
One example of laser optics in skincare is tattoo removal. A tattoo consists of ink, or pigment, placed by means of a needle in the dermis, the second layer of skin just under the epidermis. Small foreign bodies would be overwhelmed by the immune system and removed, but the dense ink is too much for the body’s clean up crews to handle. That’s what makes them so permanent.
In tattoo removal, a pulsed dye laser is used to break up the larger ink particles underneath skin cells. This enables them to be overwhelmed by white blood cells, which carry it away and dispose of it in body excretions.
