COMMON PROBLEMS IMPROVED BY LASERS
Problem: Sun spots, age spots and freckles
Solution: Ablative and non-ablative options
Various forms of ablative and non-ablative lasers attack pigment in lighter complexions. The result can range from a gradual lightening of the spots to an almost immediate darkening, and development of a flat scab that flakes away within a week or two. Don't mistake this as a treatment for melasma, a patchy skin discoloration. Melasma is a difficult condition to treat and requires combination therapy to get results.

Problem: Acne
Solution: Non-ablative: IPL, ClearLight or BlueLight with photodynamic therapy (PDT)
Purported to garner the same results as treatment with Accutane, laser treatment is appropriate for more than just cystic acne. Up to 60 percent of mild to severe acne can be cleared up in three treatments, with the results lasting for years. Pulsed dye is ideal for lighter complexions, and PDT is the enhancement necessary for results.

Problem: Birthmarks and discolored scars
Solution: Ablative and non-ablative options
The darker and the flatter the birthmark, the better the reaction to pulsed dye. From port-wine stains to simple round, brown nevi (moles), several treatments will darken the area before the mark or scar gradually fades away over a year or more.

Problem: Veins and blood vessels
Solution: Non-ablative: IPL, diode or pulsed dye
Light attacks the red of superficial veins, telangiectasias (broken blood vessels) and strawberry hemangiomas (dense masses of blood vessels), literally destroying them from the inside out. In some cases, more than one treatment is needed, in others, the areas treated will immediately darken before simply fading away.

Problem: Aging and wrinkles
Solution: Ablative and non-ablative options
Ablative resurfacing is highly effective in removing the top layers of skin, thus evicting the fine lines and wrinkles that once lived there. Not appropriate for all skin types, non-ablative rejuvenation using a diode, CoolTouch or IPL produces a less predictable range of improvement than ablative rejuvenation. It requires three to five sessions, two to three weeks apart to send light through the skin, which stimulates new collagen production. The new collagen tightens and tones, thereby reducing the appearance of wrinkles. Though many people are happy with the results, resurfacing doesn't take the place of a facelift.

Problem: Hair removal
Solution: Non-ablative: diode or IPL
These treatments are best for those patients with darker hair, although blonde and grey hair may respond to some technologies. Because hair grows in cycles, three to five treatments can result in a 50 to 80 percent reduction or better, in unwanted hair.

Problem: Cellulite
Solution: VelaSmooth, a combination of non-ablative laser, radiofrequency and mechanical manipulation
Currently there is no scientifically proven treatment for cellulite, and the jury is still out on VelaSmooth's ability to non-invasively improve the contour and skin surface irregularities associated with cellulite. Patients typically go twice a week, for a total of eight treatments for initial improvement, followed by monthly maintenance treatments thereafter.

Problem: Tattoos
Solution: Non-ablative: Q-Switched Nd:Yag laser
Did you think about how hard it is to get rid of a tattoo when you decided to get one? Q-Switched Nd:Yag lasers emit certain wavelengths of light that attack and destroy colors of ink most common to tattoos. Blue and red are easiest to remove. Expect as many as six to 12 sessions spaced six to eight weeks apart for total removal. There may be crusting and scabbing, possible discoloration and permanent thickening and constriction of the skin.