Every laser has a target. The target of the laser in the
example above is hemoglobin, a protein found in red blood cells. The laser
imparts great energy to the hemoglobin, causing changes in its form, and
ultimately causes the blood vessel to disappear. A different laser could
target melanin, which is the tan- or brown-colored pigment found in skin.
A laser that targets melanin would be useful for removing dark marks commonly
called liver spots.
Pigmented Lesions
Superficial brown-pigmented lesions such as liver spots
can be vastly improved or made to disappear in many cases. These lesions
are often located on sun-exposed skin. The skin lesion may change somewhat
in appearance immediately after laser surgery, but complete resolution
generally follows two weeks later.
The same class of lasers that treat benign superficial
pigmented lesions may also be appropriate to lighten or even completely
remove tattoos. Professionally placed tattoos, which are generally more
complex and contain several colors, tend to be more difficult to remove
than tattoos placed by amateurs. In most cases, tattoo removal requires
repeated treatments. Even cosmetically similar designs placed by different
artists may exhibit varying difficulties for removal due to the chemical
differences of the ink.
It is important to recognize that not all pigmented lesions
can be improved with laser. Lesions felt to be suspicious by your dermatologist
may require observation or removal for analysis under a microscope.
