What are lasers and how do they work?
A laser is a high-energy beam of light that can be directed into certain areas or tissues within the skin. These beams of light are produced in one wavelength or colour at a time, and can vary in terms of their strength and the type of tissue that they can target. Ablative Lasers So – called “ablative” or skin resurfacing lasers briefly direct an intense burst of laser energy onto the surface of the skin. This energy heats water within the surface layers of the skin, causing both the water and the tissue of the skin to turn to vapour. Every time the laser passes over the skin, some of the outermost layers of the skin are removed in a precise and controlled way to the appropriate depth (see diagram below). Skin resurfacing can also be achieved mechanically with a dermabrasion machine, or with chemical removal during a deep chemical peel. The skin then heals over a period of time, as new layers of collagen are produced. The skin can literally resurface itself, causing an improvement in t
