What is the difference between the therapeutic laser that we use at Laser Medicine, and the kind of laser for hair removal or eye surgery? As I’m often asked, here’s a little insight on the subject of cold laser vs hot laser. Welcome to the geek edition…
First off, what is laser? LASER stands for Light Amplification by the Stimulated Emission of Radiation. Laser light is coherent, monochromatic and collimated, meaning that wavelengths are produced in phase, have a singular purity and can produce close parallel beams. There are a number of classes of laser all with different properties and safety requirements. Many cold lasers fall within a Class 2 to 3b, whereas the kind of lasers used in eye surgery or hair removal are Class 4.
In practical terms what does this mean? Quite simply, the Class 3b laser that we use at Laser Medicine does not damage cell tissue. Conversely, when used at a low intensity, laser has a regenerative effect on cell tissue, thus creating healing and replenishment. Albert Einstein first predicted this, but it was actually Dr Andre Mester, a Professor of Surgery at Semmelweiss Hospital in Budapest who first discovered that irradiation of cells with low doses of ruby laser resulted in an increased rate of healing.
It’s also worth bearing in mind that any procedure that produces scar tissue is best avoided. A gentler approach to healing is preferable, hence the cold laser vs hot laser debate in terms of skin care for example. For many health conditions, less is definitely more.
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