Is there one laser treatment that can treat multiple skin problems?
One laser (or IPL) alone ok to remove 3 different things? Can one laser (or IPL) alone cover: age spots, spider veins and wrinkles on hands? Or it's a different laser for each thing?
Answers (2)
If all you have is a hammer, then everything looks like a nail
The short answer is no, there is no such thing as one laser that does everything.
Lasers make one color of light that is not adjustable. Some laser manufacturers have found a way to double or halve the frequency of the light so they can have 2 different wave lengths such as 532nm and 1064nm.
The effectiveness of the laser of IPL depends on a whole bunch of things including the target (what you are trying to fix), the wave length, the intensity, the pulse duration, the amount of cooling, the uniformity of the light that is delivered, the spot size, etc. There is no one machine that can provide the ideal set of parameters for every treatment.
Unfortunately, most consumers don't know enough to figure out what they need to have done. Many times patients will price shop and try to get treatment at the cheapest place, hoping that all lasers and IPLs work equally well. You need to find a doctor who understands your needs and cares more about you and their reputation than "making the sale". Lasers are expensive, which makes it hard for a place with a laser to turn away any business... so they will likely tell you that their machine works wonderfully for everything you want to have done.
Before you consent to treatment, get a few opinions. Do a little homework so you can ask the right questions. And above all, find a doctor with a good reputation that will tell you the truth!
This is a very good but complicated question.
First of all, IPLs and Class IV medical lasers are very different from each other. Although IPLs (intense pulses of light) can perform many different treatments, we believe that lasers are far superior in accomplishing long-term results. Lasers work by having a target (water, hemoglobin, pigment/melanin) that they seek, which is determined by their wavelength. This makes lasers very specific, efficient, and precise. IPLs, on the other hand, atttempt to have specific targets, but this is more challenging as IPLs rely on filters to obtain an appropriate wavelength. Some practitioners find much value in combining both IPL and laser treatments.
Now back to the question of whether or not a laser can accomplish several things: Yes and no.
There are some lasers that are considered "platform" lasers wherein they have more than one condition that they treat. For example, our Sciton laser is able to treat vascular conditions (spider veins), hair reduction, and perform as an ablative laser for skin resurfacing with the Erbium MicroLaserPeel. However, these conditions are treated on different settings, handpieces, protocols, etc. On the other hand, lasers may be targeting one specific condition but also allow for benefits in other ways. An example of this would be Q-Switched lasers. Our QYAG V/Medlite C6 lasers work by resolving pigmentation (freckles, sun damage, brown acne scars) but are also capable of stimulating collagen, mild skin tightening, and treatment of active acne lesions.
Ideally, it is best to have a specific treatment plan that uses the most effective modality for each and every condition.
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