Erbium or 2940nm Yag Laser

• Er:YAG lasers are solid-state lasers whose lasing medium is erbium-doped Yttrium aluminium garnet (Er:Y3Al5O12).
• Er:YAG lasers typically emit light with a wavelength of 2940 nm, which is infrared light.
• Unlike ​Nd:YAG laser, the output of an ​Er:YAG laser is strongly absorbed by water. Thereby making it very highly suited to safely resufacing the skin in a predictable fashion. 

Lasers work by emitting a wavelength of high energy light, which when focused on a certain skin condition will create heat and destroy unwanted cells.

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved a range of Er:YAG laser machines for various skin disorders. The following skin disorders can be treated with Er:YAG laser beams.

• Atrophic acne scars
• Herpes simplex scars, smallpox scars
• Sun damaged skin
• Mild to moderate facial wrinkles
• Uneven pigment (brown age spots, freckles, melasma)
• Seborrhoeic keratosis
• Some vascular  (red) birthmarks (capillary vascular malformations)

Contraindications

Er:YAG laser treatment may be unsuitable in the following circumstances:

• Tendency toward keloid or hypertrophic scar formation
• Someone that has used Isotretinoin within the last 6 months
• Condition that significantly alter skin structure such as  scleroderma, lupus, and burn scars
• History of prior ionizing radiation to the skin (i.e. from prior radiation therapy for cancer).

Precautions

• Laser skin resurfacing can lead to reactivation of latent herpes simplex virus infection or predispose the patient to a primary herpes infection before the skin surface has healed.
• Prophylactic antiviral medication such as aciclovir or ​valcyclovir  is recommended during the pre-procedure and postoperative ​periodand no treatment during active breakouts.  You must tell the physician if you have ever had a breakout of cold sores in the past so he may treat you accordingly. 

Side effects from Er:YAG laser treatment are usually minor and may include:

Mild side effects

• Milia ( little bumps )
• Acne exacerbation

Moderate side effects

• Prolonged redness
• Transient postinflammatory hyperpigmentation, usually revereable withing 6-8 months.
• Delayed hypopigmentation (white patches) which usually is completely reversible within 2-6 months. 

For selected skin conditions, Er:YAG laser treatment offers:

• High-precision, tissue-selective treatment
• Fairly non-invasive
• Short downtime

• CO2 laser:
  • The carbon dioxide laser (CO2 laser) was one of the earliest gas lasers to be developed.
    Invented  in 1964, it is still one of the most useful lasers in use today.  Carbon dioxide lasers are the highest-power continuous wave lasers that are currently available. The CO2 laser produces a beam of infrared light with the principal wavelength bands centering on 9.4 and 10.6 micrometers (μm). Carbon dioxide lasers have become useful in surgical procedures because water (which makes up most biological tissue) absorbs this frequency of light very well. Some examples of medical uses are laser surgery and skin resurfacing ("laser facelifts", which essentially consist of vaporizing the skin to promote collagen formation).[8] CO2 lasers may be used to treat certain skin conditions such as hirsuties papillaris genitalis by removing bumps.. The CO2 laser remains the best surgical laser for the soft tissue because  both cutting and hemostasis (cutting  without bleeding)  are achieved photo-thermally  at the same time . CO2 lasers can be used in place of a scalpel for most procedures, and are even used in places a scalpel would not be used, in delicate areas where mechanical trauma could damage the surgical site (i.e vascular lesion such as hemangiomas,  pyogenic granulomas, and verrucus lesions).  Co2 Laser is used for:
    • The gold standard for wart removal
    • Mole removals 

• Skin tag  removal
• Skin resurfacing
• Stretch mark removal
• Surgical scar removal.  (i.e. from C-sections, appendectomies, and gall bladder surgery, face-lifts)
• Acne scar removal
• Skin Resurfacing
• Mole Removal
• Wart Removal
• Scar Removal

Microdermabrasion can be used for the following:

1. Improving the texture of skin (fewer hills and valleys)
2. Reducing the signs of aging (wrinkles i.e. fine lines, stimulating skin tightening, reducing pore size)
3. Acne Removal
4. Acne scar treatment
5. Stretch Mark Reductiion

 
What is Microdermabrasion?

Microdermabrasion uses a jet spray of mineral crystals to remove and vacuum the outer keratin layer of the skin, including dead skin cells, scarring, and debris which clogs pores. Microdermabrasion stimulates new collagen growth to visibly tighten skin. Significantly decreases the appearance of acne scars. Magically shrinks large pores and removes black and white heads.

Candidate for Microdermabrasion

Microdermabrasion can improve the skin of all skin types. Regular treatments improve the appearance of acne scars, acne, hyperpigmention (melasma), sun damaged skin, dull skin, fine lines and wrinkles, large pores, rough texture, blackheads, whiteheads, brown spots.

The procedure lasts 5-20 minutes depending on the area of treatment. The procedure is tolerable without topical anesthetic. However a topical anesthetic can be used for sensitive skin. After the procedure you may have redness for up to 30 minutes. Most patients return to work immediately with no downtime.