The word laser is actually an acronym for light amplification by the stimulated emission of radiation. It basically means an intense beam of light traveling in one direction. The idea of using a laser for surgery, especially to improve the look and feel of your skin, probably didn’t cross the minds of scientists who invented lasers in the 1950s. But the use of lasers in medicine has indeed brought a revolution, especially over the last decade.

 

Because it produces a specific color or wavelength, lasers can be varied in their intensity and pulse duration. By targeting specific cells of the skin, a laser can heat the cell until it essentially bursts. The newest lasers are remarkably precise, which have allowed more procedures and treatments to become safe to administer. Laser technology has benefitted millions of patients, initially through vaporizing or ablating skin tissue. This technology was originally used to remove diseased tissue and close bleeding blood vessels. Its use in cosmetic procedures has grown incredibly in recent years, with more and more physicians and specialists using lasers to perform hair removal, remove wrinkles, resurface and tighten skin, and other procedures.