Introduction

Laser therapy¹ is a medical procedure used to treat various diseases in the medical field. Laser therapy uses rays of specific wavelengths during procedures.

A laser is a medical device which transmits a narrow beam of cohesive and consistent light. LASER stands for Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation.

The most significant characteristics of lasers are that the light produced by them is cohesive, unidirectional, does not spread, and the rays of beams are parallel to each other and use specific bands of wavelength. For this reason, lasers are in demand.

How does a laser device work?

The principle behind laser therapy is PHOTOBIOMODULATION. The lasers use protons or light to change tissue. When the proton or light enters the tissue cells it promotes mitochondria cells to produce more ATP (Adenosine Triphosphate). ATP’s main function is to provide energy, which is used to restore the destroyed cells.²

Types of lasers

There are various types of lasers used in the medical field, including argon lasers, carbon dioxide lasers, and Neodymium:yttrium-aluminum-garnet (Nd:YAG) lasers.³

Common uses of lasers

Lasers are widely used due to their ability to be non-damaging, precise and less-painful. Lasers are used to split, burn, and damage the tissues.⁴

The uses of lasers are listed as follows:

Cosmetology – lasers are greatly used in the cosmetic medicine field to treat acne, acne scars, wrinkles, and fine lines. They are also used to remove the moles and tattoos. To enhance the beauty of the face, they are using permanent removal of facial hair with the help of lasers. Similarly, lasers are used to lighten the dark colored areas such as armpits, regions of knee and elbow, and face tone.

Dentistry – lasers are widely used in dentistry. They are used to decolourise the teeth which are stained due to various reasons like tobacco chewing, smoking, and tea and coffee stains. Likewise, lasers are used in dental caries treatment by cutting the tooth. Lesions of the mouth and oral cavity are also treated by using lasers.

Nephrology – lasers are used to treat kidney stones, prostate cancer, and lesions formed on genital areas.

Ophthalmology – lasers are extensively used in this area. Lasers are used to treat eyesight problems ( short eye sightedness or long eye sightedness ) and eye disorders like glaucoma and cataracts.

Cardiology – lasers are used to treat the blood clots that are formed inside the arteries making the blood flow obstruction. They are used to treat the narrow blood vessels by widening them.

Cancer – in this field, lasers are used to take the biopsy of the lesions. They are also used to treat cancerous cells because of their target-oriented characteristics.

Undesirable effects of lasers and their complications

Although the benefits of lasers are tremendous, there are potentially negative effects as well. Let us see what are the drawbacks of laser treatment.^5,6

• Redness – the area of treatment becomes red and swollen
• Irritation – when the area becomes red, it automatically leads to irritation and distress
• Scar formation – after a few treatments of laser, there is scar formation
• Development of Discolouration or blemish – this can be seen in tattoo removal
• Effects of vision – it is a rare disadvantage of laser therapy, loss of vision in some individuals. There might be a decrease in fluid content

Change in the surface of the skin – one might feel the roughness on the skin surface after laser therapy.

Prone to infections – laser treatment used in treating lesions, leaves the area open for a few days. This area is predisposed to many infections.

Contraindications

Almost every individual is ideal for laser therapy but few of the conditions are contraindicated for laser therapy. These are:

Skin issues such as eczema and psoriasis – these are skin disorders characterised by itchy, red, swollen, inflamed parts of skin with white, thin, fragile scales formation. If laser therapy is used on such active lesions, it escalates the above-mentioned issues. As we all know the common side effects of laser treatment is reddishness, inflammation, and pain.⁷

• Photo phobic or light sensitive disorders – the disorders may be autoimmune, drug-induced, or metabolic. The symptoms of these disorders are itchy, painful blisters on the skin which are similar to the side effects of laser therapy
• Blood thinners – blood thinners are used to treat serious heart disease by prolonging the clotting time. Laser therapy can cause minute bleeding which can worsen the condition of patients taking blood thinners
• Pregnancy – laser therapy is usually safe in pregnancy but it should be used distant from the uterus because the growing baby is delicate

Considerations prior to laser therapy

Before laser therapy, educating the patient about the side effects of laser therapy is mandatory. An informed agreement must be signed by the patients by the doctor before starting the procedure and explain the complete procedure in detail.

Choosing a skilled and proficient doctor in laser therapy is important. A qualified, efficient doctor can perform the treatment with minimal shortcomings. They know the strategy to perform the procedure. A well-trained and certified doctor team can help in managing the post-operative side-effects. The latest devices and modern equipment help in treating the conditions more precisely.

FAQs

What is a laser?

The laser device is a medical equipment that transmits the light or proton of a single ray of the beam.

Abbreviation of laser

Light amplification by stimulated emission of radiation. 

What is laser therapy?

Laser therapy is a present-day treatment used in the medical field. It uses the beam of light or proton to bring the changes in the destroyed tissues.

What is the principle behind laser therapy?

Photobiomodulation

Who is an ideal patient for laser therapy?

Every individual is ideal for laser treatment except for patients with active skin lesions, pregnancy, and light-sensitive diseases.

What are the uses of laser therapy?

Lasers are widely used in treating facial scars, acne marks, facial hair removal, pigmentation, wrinkles, dark armpits, tattoo removal, dental procedures like whitening and polishing, tooth cutting, treating cavities, for vision problems, and treating heart issues.

What are the adverse reactions of laser therapy?

Adverse reactions such as irritation, pain, discolouration, infections, swelling, inflammation, and redness.

How many sittings are needed for laser therapy?

It depends on the extent of the problem. It might take a single sitting or 3-4 sittings.

Summary 

Laser therapy is the trending medical treatment used for its least damaging and less painful procedures. Laser is a medical equipment abbreviated as Light amplification by stimulated emission of radiation. Laser therapy is extensively used in treating scars, acne, cancerous lesions, eye surgery, tattoo removal, and many more.

The adverse effects of laser therapy are irritation, distress, scar formation, blemishes, burns, vision loss, and infection.