This is the most common surgical laser used for treatment of variety of very common skin problems like:
The CO2 laser emits light at 10,600 nm wavelength. The absorption of laser energy in skin causes rapid heating and vaporization of water inside the cells leading to tissue ablation and coagulation of blood vessels leading to bloodless surgery.
The laser is used after giving local anaesthesia, followed by wound care and healing is seen within 7-10 days with minimal scarring and pigmentation in some cases.
Tattoo removal treatment is a suitable option for those who want to erase unwanted tattoos with minimal side effects.
Lasers use high-intensity light beams to break up the pigment colours and thereby remove tattoos. Black ink tattoos are the easiest colour to treat because they absorb all laser wavelengths. The removal technique depends on skin colour and depth of the tattoo pigment. In addition, the numbers of treatments depend on the age, size, and colour(s) of the tattoo.
The Q-switched Nd-YAG 1064 nm laser allows deep penetration, and the light interacts less with absorption spectra of melanin, thereby decreasing the incidence of hypopigmentation.
In addition there is little blistering and pain, few textural changes, and no hypopigmentation. It is also advantageous for darker skinned-patients in whom melanin absorption is a concern.
Laser tattoo removal or fading is easily performed in amateur tattoos because they typically have less ink deposited at varying depths and therefore require fewer treatment sessions.
Professional tattoos on the other hand, involves deeper penetration of ink with more usage of ink as well. The multi-colour professional designs further make it more difficult for laser removal. Sessions are typically spaces across 4-6 weeks of interval.
Minimal side effects occur during the treatment; patients may experience redness, swelling, and minor blistering around the treated area. They are however temporary and the skin is expected to heal completely within two weeks.
A skin biopsy is a simple OPD procedure where a small piece of skin is taken under local anaesthesia and further sent to the laboratory for testing.
Skin biopsy is performed by the dermatologist for
There are several methods for conducting skin biopsies depending on the type of lesion and size of the growth.
The wound is covered with gauze and bandaging and the patient is then allowed to go home once the sample has been taken.
Just simple wound care is advised with a local antibiotic cream application. The wound heals in typically 2-3 weeks with negligible scarring.
Once the tissue sample is taken, it is sent to the laboratory for testing. The tests usually take nearly a week to 10 days for the results to come back.
When the top corner or side of a toenail starts entering its surrounding flesh, the nail is called an ingrown toenail. This is relatively common in the big toe rather than others, caused due to the following reasons.
Surgical treatment is recommended when home remedies fail to resolve solitary or recurring ingrown toenails, or when other conditions like diabetes cause complications.
Common symptoms of ingrown toenails
The doctor first cleans and then numbs the toe with an local anaesthetic injection.
Only partial nail plate is removed on the affected area so that rest of the nail grows back.
The nail matrix, that is, the area from which the nail grows is then destroyed with laser or cauterised with Phenol or TCA. The doctor then finally applies a pressure bandage on the toe.
Apart from limiting activity, it is imperative for patients to rest their feet for the first day or two after the surgery. It is also recommended that they elevate their feet while sitting. In addition, patients must closely follow the wound care instructions as well as consume the oral antibiotics as prescribed by the doctor. This invariably helps in preventing any infection. Discomfort may be avoided with the help of painkillers.
Though one can participate in normal activities, the more strenuous activities like running must be avoided for at least a fortnight.
Alopecia areata is a disease which causes hair fall in small patches which have the tendency to connect. This occurs when the immune system begins attacking the hair follicles and thereby causing hairloss. Intralesional corticosteroid injections are thus the most common form of treatment for the diseases.
Corticosteroids are injected onto the bare batches on the scalp with a tiny needle which are repeated every four to six weeks. New hair growth becomes visible within a month with very few side effects related to the treatment.
Keloids refer to the raised scars, mostly red coloured, caused due to excessive healing of skin wounds received via burns, cuts, or acne. They may also occur when any piercings, tattoos, or surgeries are done. Hence they can be treated through corticosteroid Intralesional injections. They comprise the first-line option of treatment. The Intralesional injection eventually flattens 50-100% of keloids, with a recurrence rate of 9-50%. Usually two or three injections are given within a month while therapy can continue for six months or longer. It must be noted that newer keloids are more responsive than older ones.
Cystic acne are the painful nodules that occur on the face, neck, chest, and back. It is the final stage of progressive acne and a significant source of scarring when left untreated. They may also occur due to draining of lesions and boils, groin, or chest. Intralesional corticosteroid injections are thus used to treat acne cysts as it shrinks the inflamed tissues while avoiding any probable scarring.
Xanthelasma is the condition where yellow patches develop on the corners of the eyelids. The patches are made of up cholesterol under the protruding patches. Though they’re not hurtful, they are indicators of heart disease and can be removed chemically by a dermatologist.
The use of trichloroacetic acid peels eliminates xanthelasma. The simple and effective treatment may last for six months incurs high patient satisfaction, satisfactory cosmetic result, and low recurrence rate.
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