NEW METHODS OF TREATMENT FOR HEAD AND NEC K DERMAL LESIONS BY USING THE CO2-LASER

Laser treatment of various skin changes has become common clinical pra ctice in recent years. Due to its physical properties, the CO2 laser i s particularly well suited for cutting and ablating tissue. The high a bsorption of its wavelength in water (lambda=10 600 nm) is responsible for its low penetration depth in biological tissue. Shortening the ex posure time minimizes thermal side effects, such as carbonization and coagulation. This effect can be lessened with the SilkTouch scanner, s ince the focussed laser beam is moved over a defined area by rapidly r otating mirrors. This enables a controlled and reliable removal of var ious dermal lesions. Particularly well-suited for treatment hypertroph ic scars, post-acne scarring, perioral and periorbital wrinkles, rhino phymas and benign neoplasms including verruca vulgaris. Cosmetically f avorable reepithelialization of the treated skin surfaces occurs withi n a very short time after treatment. Periorbital resurfacing and corre ction of a rhinophyma are used as examples of dermal treatment with th e CO2 laser and the SilkTouch scanner.