What is laser therapy?
Laser therapy is the application of laser beams in the medical or cosmetic field. Laser beams are bundled and particularly high-energy beams of light that are directed specifically at one part of the body during laser treatment and have an effect there.
Depending on the biological effect the laser beams are to have on the tissue, the doctor changes the wavelength, intensity, pulse duration and pulse frequency of the laser.
- Laser ablation (ablation of tissue, for example in the case of mammary laser)
- Laser coagulation (thermally induced cell death)
- Laser epilation (permanent hair removal)
- Laser phototherapy
When is laser therapy performed?
Laser therapy can be used to treat diseases and relieve discomfort, as well as for cosmetic reasons, such as scars or moles.
Laser therapy for cosmetic reasons
- superficial dilated small vessels (telangiectasia)
- wrinkles
- unwanted hair growth
- skin redness
- scars
- birthmarks
Lasik
How to use laser in ophthalmology, you can read in the text Lasik.
Laser therapy for skin diseases
Examples of medically justified treatments with the laser in dermatology are:
- Rosacea
- port-wine stains
- cysts
- Viral diseases (for example genital warts or Kaposi’s sarcoma in HIV)
- Malignant tumor diseases of the skin (for example basalioma)
- cornification disorders (keratosis)
- Warts
- Fungal nail diseases
- Psoriasis
What do you do during laser therapy?
The procedures of laser therapy differ depending on the procedure:
Laser ablation
Laser coagulation
Laser coagulation is mainly used in ophthalmology. The ophthalmologist uses laser beams to generate heat in the tissue of the cornea or retina, which destroys the cells. Special cells of the immune system – called phagocytes – then remove the dead tissue and the wound heals.
Laser epilation
Laser phototherapy
Especially in psoriasis and white spot disease, the patient can be treated with laser phototherapy. For this purpose, the physician usually uses the so-called excimer laser, which emits UVB waves. He directs these high-dose beams specifically to the affected areas of the skin. The neighboring healthy skin areas are spared.
What are the risks of laser therapy?
Specific risks of laser therapy in ophthalmology include:
- multiple laser therapy in the absence of therapeutic success
- impaired color vision
- poorer vision in twilight or darkness
- narrowed field of vision
- altered intraocular pressure, possibly with follow-up treatment
- black holes in the visual field (scotomas)
What should I pay attention to after laser therapy?
How you should behave after your laser therapy depends on the type and reason for the treatment.
After laser therapy of the eyes, you must not drive a vehicle for at least 24 hours. An ophthalmological check-up is recommended after three months at the latest to check the success of the treatment. If you notice any complaints or abnormalities after the treatment, it is advisable to visit your ophthalmologist at an early stage.
