Laser technology has transformed how we approach beauty treatments, but exactly what is it and does it really work?
Laser treatment is becoming increasingly popular in Australia, and is commonly used for hair removal, as well as address skin concerns including acne, hyperpigmentation, and ageing.
“In cosmetic and medical laser clinics, lasers are used to treat common skin problems such as facial redness and birth marks, freckles and pigmentation, acne, keratoses or lumps and bumps and to get rid of unwanted hair or tattoos,” co-founder of Hobart practice Laserway Dr Sue Galligan explains.
Dr Galligan explains laser can deeply penetrate the epidermis and thus, are more able to target skin concerns.
Are laser treatments safe?
Dr Galligan says lasers are great tools to address all sorts of skin issues and are typically very safe.
“They all produce light within the visible light spectrum, the colour depends on what’s being treated, and the main safety issue is eye safety to protect from the bright light which could damage the back of the eye,” says Dr Galligan.
“There are so many lasers available now offering all sorts of benefits, so it’s worth checking the credentials of your laser clinician before you start a treatment.”
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Different types of laser treatment
Undoubtedly one of the most popular forms of laser treatment in Australia is laser hair removal.
“Hair removal is our most common laser treatment,” Dr Galligan says.
“It’s a good way to get to know about lasers and what is involved, and you can get results fairly quickly.”
Used to permanently reduce hair growth, during laser hair removal a laser light targets the pigment in the hair follicle which damages the sacs within the skin that produce hair follicles and inhibits future growth.
Laser technology for skin falls under two main categories: ablative and non-ablative.
Both are regularly used in skin resurfacing.
Ablative laser works mainly on the epidermis (surface skin cells) and can be used to treat photodamage, atrophic acne scars, hypopigmented scars, and dyspigmentation, but may require more recovery time.
“More invasive lasers can be used to treat wrinkles, skin laxity, acne scars or to improve surgical scars and these can take a lot longer to heal and require careful management,” Dr Galligan says.
The gentler non-ablative lasers can improve the appearance of wrinkles, brown spots, and minor scars without injuring the surface of the skin, and require minimal healing time.
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Do laser treatments work?
The effectiveness of lasers varies person-to-person because certain skin and hair types respond better to lasers than others, says Dr Galligan.
“Laser hair removal works best on darker hair and fairer skins,” she says.
“It can be done on darker skin types, but caution is required to avoid complications with heating the skin itself as well as the hair.
“Most people will see a big improvement with three to four sessions of laser, but every client will have different amounts of hair and the more extensive the problem, the longer it will take.”
An evaluation of the effectiveness of laser hair removal found it was superior to conventional methods such as waxing, with alexandrite and diode lasers found to have greatest long-term efficacy.
While laser skin resurfacing technologies are not a substitute for more invasive cosmetic treatments such as facelifts, a review of different laser techniques found, depending on the desired result, laser can provide effective treatment options.
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How many laser sessions do you need?
Dermatologists and estheticians will always strive to treat their clients with the fewest treatments possible, but some skin conditions require additional treatments for optimal results. Generally, laser treatments for skin tone, texture, discolouration or fine wrickles require at least two treatments in order to see a visable improvement.
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Written by Charlotte Brundrett.
