I can now offer the following ‘refresher courses’: Laser tattoo removal: Choosing the correct settings Which laser is best? How does it actually work? Ink colours Pain management Managing patient expectations Minimising risk Laser/IPL removal of hair, vessel, pigmentation + skin rejuvenation Choosing the correct settings… Understanding the light-tissue interactions The critical importance of… Continue reading Refresher Courses
Are you getting the best out of your IPL system? Most people don’t….
IPL systems can generate excellent results in many conditions, if used correctly. However, I constantly hear people telling me that they “can’t get good results” with theirs! Why is this? Well, basically it comes down to two main factors: either their equipment is not very good or cannot output a sufficient energy or… Continue reading Are you getting the best out of your IPL system? Most people don’t….
Q-switches: Passive vs Active?
Here is a description of ‘active’ vs ‘passive’ Q-switches in lasers….. Mike,
How long is a beam of laser light?
Well, this is a very interesting question…. From a ‘classical’ viewpoint (i.e. the world in which we live) this is easily calculated by multiplying the speed of light, c, with the laser pulse duration. So, for a Q-switched Nd:YAG laser of, say, 5 nanosecond duration, the laser pulse is approx. 1.49 metres long, while a… Continue reading How long is a beam of laser light?
More on Thermal Relaxation Times
TRTs I’ve had a number of enquiries about my article on the relevance of thermal relaxation times in photothermal treatments. They were asking for clarification. So here goes…. Thermal relaxation time (TRT) describes how quickly an object loses heat energy. Typically, it is the time taken for the temperature of an object to drop… Continue reading More on Thermal Relaxation Times
Don’t stare at the sun – ever!!!
We all know its a bad idea to stare at the sun. But this lady decided to do so during the recent eclipse in America, without the correct protective safety glasses. As a result her retinas were burnt with an image of the eclipsed sun! Many lasers output a much higher power than can… Continue reading Don’t stare at the sun – ever!!!
Laser Tattoo Removal – the important considerations
Laser tattoo removal has been available commercially since we opened the world’s first private clinic to offer this treatment in Glasgow, Scotland in 1989 following our groundbreaking clinical research program in Canniesburn Hospital, Glasgow during the 1980s (see our 1990 publication in the British Journal of Plastic Surgery). We used the Q-switched ruby laser which… Continue reading Laser Tattoo Removal – the important considerations
“Q-switched 532nm laser energy causes significant vascular damage in the capillary plexus – how does this affect laser tattoo removal?”
A new publication just went live on the British Journal of Dermatology site at http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/wol1/doi/10.1111/bjd.16130/abstract. Full article can be viewed here. It discusses my observations on non-tattooed skin (my own) following irradiation with a Q-switched 532nm laser. I found that there is a significant amount of damage in the capillary plexus soon after irradiation. This… Continue reading “Q-switched 532nm laser energy causes significant vascular damage in the capillary plexus – how does this affect laser tattoo removal?”
Are picosecond lasers worth the cost?
That’s a good question! A picosecond laser costs around £100,000 in the UK, at the moment. A ‘standard’ Q-switched laser costs anywhere between £10,000 and £60,000. QS lasers can output up to 2 Joules of energy in pulsewidths as short as 5 nanoseconds, while some commercially available pico lasers can output up to 1 Joule… Continue reading Are picosecond lasers worth the cost?
Good gig photos
Some good photos from one of our gigs…. With thanks to Stuart Westwood Photography. MIke.
Mike Murphy's Blog 