Plastic Surgery LASERs: So Many, Which Ones to Choose? - Cosmetic Laser Articles and Reports

Plastic Surgery LASERs: So Many, Which Ones to Choose?
August 13th, 2008
By Shervin Naderi, MD, FACS
MakeMeHeal.com

In todayÌs plastic surgery practice, it is impossible to avoid running into an ad or an article about the newest and greatest doctor using the newest and greatest Laser for facial rejuvenation, melting fat, acne, hyperpigmentation, or some other imperfection! It is no secret that the word ÏLaserÓ is a Ïcash termÓ used for savvy marketing and advertising. The word elicits thoughts of modernity, technology, safety, precision and competence. Many patients have been erroneously taught to believe if Dr. A uses a Laser to do a certain procedure then he and his results must be better than those of Dr. B.
So what is the truth? Are Lasers all that important in Plastic Surgery? Should you search for doctors who possess lots of Lasers in their offices? Is there an advantage to using Lasers over other modalities? Are Lasers safe? Does the use of a Laser justify its cost? Who can operate a Laser? Who is a good candidate for Lasers? Are there better options out there? What are the best Lasers? These are likely some of the many questions on prospective patientÌs minds as they research Facial Cosmetic Procedures.
After working with a long list of Lasers and talking to an exhaustive list of Laser sales persons over the last 9 years I can give you a few valuable pearls to help guide you through your search for the Holy Grail and the fountain of youth! To begin with the term ÏLASERÓ is actually an acronym that stands for Light Amplification by the Stimulated Emission of Radiation. In pure and simple terms this refers usually to a single wavelength of light that travels parallel and coherently. It was in 1917 that Albert Einstein theorized the concept of ÏStimulated EmissionÓ that made todayÌs LASERs possible. Since then many scientist and companies have created LASERs for various cosmetic and medical purposes simply by altering the wavelenth and strength of the light.
It seems like new lasers hit the market on a monthly basis. Some are the result of years of sound research and capital expenditures by major reputable companies, and some are put together by two men in a garage! Yet they all promise the world. Great results. Low risk. Minimal downtime. Laser sales reps, backed by their companyÌs medical research Ïdata,Ó attempt to prove that their laser is the best one on the market. So who is right and who is wrong? Which one is the best? There are too many lasers to individually list but the technology shared by them can be broken down quickly for review. For completenessÌ sake, I will briefly discuss Ïlaser-like devicesÓ used in cosmetic surgery as well since patients and even some healthcare professionals frequently refer to such devices erroneously as Ïlasers.Ó

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