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This wont hurt a bit - using laser in medicine |
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Medical -
Medical applications
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In 1962 a dermatologist named Leon Goldman came up with a way to remove
unwanted tattoos. Utilizing new breakthroughs in laser technology, Dr.
Goldman applied a laser to the tattooed area and, presto, the tattoo
disappeared. Dr. Goldman’s experiment was the first use of lasers in
medical history.
Theodore H. Maiman created the first laser out of ruby in 1960. It was
this ruby laser that Goldman used to remove the tattoo. The laser left
some scarring however, and efforts were made to develop more effective
lasers for the removal of unwanted skin markings, including tattoos,
birth marks, stretch marks, port wine stains (red birth marks that
appear on the face), acne scars, and leg veins.
In the early 1980s,
doctors John Parrish and Rox Anderson formulated the concept of
“selective photothermolysis.” This concept states that the risk of
scarring and damage to normal tissue can be minimized by the use of a
laser system that selectively reacts with a single target within the
skin. This led to the development of the tunable dye laser, which
removes skin markings by selectively targeting hemoglobin within red
blood cells.
The latest laser development in the field of skin
resurfacing is the Erbium: YAG laser. This laser is used to perform
superficial skin resurfacing for minor wrinkles, pigmentation changes,
and mild acne scarring.
Since Dr. Goldman first used a laser to remove a tattoo, lasers have
become an integral part of modern medicine.
Probably the most common
form of laser surgery is laser eye surgery in which lasers are used to
remove cataracts and to correct vision. Prior to the use of lasers,
medical personnel used scalpels in eye surgery, a dangerous and
unwelcome technique. Lasers made eye surgery safer and more effective.
To date, lasers have primarily been effective in cosmetic surgery
procedures. Now however, lasers are beginning to be used in various forms
of cancer treatment and the possibilities for the future are
encouraging. Lasers are also used when aligning patients on x-ray
machines and when applying patients with prosthetic limbs.
For further information, please contact Cutting Edge Lasers on 1300 65 1718.
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Medical 
