08 Apr Laser Technology Security In Aesthetical Medicine
The laser technology has come into our lives today, and over the years of its use, it has acquired many different myths. The most discussed question concerns the influence of laser radiation on the human body. Namely, “Lasers cause cancer”, “Laser affects the human DNA”, “The radiation is irradiation”, “Is it possible to do laser procedures during pregnancy?” and so on.
Today we will try to recover these questions and refute or, conversely, agree with some of the opinions and say what we think about this.
For many years now, lasers have been successfully used in surgery, gynaecology, urology, dentistry, ophthalmology, and for the removal and treatment of various neoplasms.
The laser scalpel has long replaced the classic one, due to its properties:
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To coagulate tissues and provide a homeostatic effect;
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To do less traumatization;
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To provide a high sterility level;
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To be excellent in wound healing.
Despite the widespread use of lasers for treating various diseases, there is still an opinion among people that lasers can cause these diseases, in particular, that they can cause cancer.
From the point of view of the risk of cancer, the most dangerous is the effect of ionizing radiation. The source of this radiation can be natural (for example, the ultraviolet spectrum of solar rays), or artificial: X-rays during diagnostics and gamma rays with a computer and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).
Passing through the body, ionizing radiation in a certain dose can lead to direct damage to cellular DNA and provoke the development of malignant tumors.
The radiation used in laser cosmetology procedures is not ionizing. The term “Irradiation” is the impact, just the same, of this dangerous ionizing radiation. But simple “Radiation” is just a process of emission and propagation of energy in the form of waves and particles. Therefore, these concepts should not be confused. Many studies have been conducted on the effects of laser exposure on the human body, but none of them showed that laser radiation can cause cancer.
“The light energy from these lasers actually remains superficial, it remains at the level of the skin,” said
Dr. Whitney Bowe, MD in dermatology, director of a laser and cosmetic medicine in an anti-ageing clinic in New York to the FoxNews.com. media – “These lasers do not cause DNA damage and do not cause mutations in DNA.”
Since the discovery of the phenomenon of “selective photothermolysis” (a laser wave of a certain length affects only a certain chromophore without damaging surrounding tissues), that is, the laser “sees” only the target cell, without penetrating either deep into the skin or muscles nor even in the internal organs.
“The laser light does not penetrate deeper than the hair follicle, does not affect the internal organs or fertility,” says Konstantin Zakashansky, gynecologist in Mount Sinai Hospital, NY.
But at the same time, any procedure has its contraindications, and this should not be neglected. Banal antibiotics shortly before laser procedures can increase the photosensitivity of the skin and provoke a burn. Therefore, it is necessary to conduct a thorough survey not only of the primary patient but also before each subsequent procedure permanent. One of the contraindications for almost all laser procedures is pregnancy and lactation.
Why? If the laser is safe for the human body? There have been a lot of clinical trials, but no one spent them on pregnant women, because the risk does not justify the means. So we have no evidence to which could be invoked.
Also, any impact on a pregnant woman is stressful, because some procedures entail unpleasant feelings or even pain. For example, pregnant women cannot remove tattoos, due to the fact that when exposed to a laser, the tattoo pigment does not disappear, but is broken up into small particles, these particles must be removed from the body naturally, they fall into the lymph flow, and some of them can get into the general bloodstream (this happens also in the case when you do a tattoo). And as you know, the blood flow of the mother is directly connected with the blood flow of the fetus. So you should strictly follow the recommendations for working with lasers, and this applies not only to contraindications.
An interesting study was conducted by Dr. Gary Chuang, University of California (UCLA), Chuang and his team collected hair samples, placed them in glass jars and treated with a laser; for 30 seconds, smoke was collected from burning hair. The team identified 377 chemical compounds, including 20 known environmental toxins, such as carbon monoxide, and 13 compounds that are suspected to cause cancer.
However, Dr. Chuang is not in a hurry to make categorical statements. This is similar to an assessment of the effects of passive smoking.
Such an assessment is extremely difficult to give’, Gary admitted. The doctor adds that the procedure should be performed only in places with an adequate air filtration system and with a smoke evacuator (smoke exhaustion).
Therefore, it is very important to work with lasers in properly equipped rooms and use personal protective equipment.
According to Gassan Yakub, the chief physician in TOUCH LIGHT, laser procedures are safe for the health of the patient and the specialist himself, but only if they are carried out with all the recommendations followed, after a thorough diagnostic and anamnesis were taken, with a correct diagnosis and the identification of contraindications. It is also important to comply with sanitary and hygienic standards and requirements for the arrangement of the office. The laser, like any technology, in the hands of a qualified specialist can solve various problems and achieve excellent results in combating various defects that cause discomfort.