Medical dictionary

What is laser dentistry? Laser dentistry is the use of lasers in dental procedures. There are a number of procedures where the use of lasers may be beneficial due to their accuracy and their ability to prevent bleeding, among other benefits. Why would you do it? Laser dental procedures are usually less painful due to the accuracy of the laser (although this may depend on the skill of

What is laser disc surgery?   Laser disc surgery is a minimally invasive type of surgical technique that uses lasers to remove or shrink portions of soft tissue around the spine that may be pressing on or pinching nerves. The procedure is only appropriate for certain conditions and not recommended for degenerative spine diseases. It is not to be confused with MISS, which is a more tradi

What is laser hair removal? Laser hair removal is a very common cosmetic treatment that employs the use of a laser, or ‘intense pusled light’, targeting and destroying hair follicles and thus disrupting hair growth. Laser hair removal is generally used to remove unwanted hair from areas like the legs, arms, face, and bikini line. The procedure generally works more on women with dark

What Is LiTT? Laser interstitial thermal therapy (LiTT) is a minimally invasive technique that uses laser beams guided by MRI to precisely and accurately target and destroy abnormal tissue within the human brain. LiTT enables neurosurgeons to precisely ablate tumours, scar tissue, or lesions causing seizures. What does the procedure involve? The procedure involves a small inci

What is laser lithotripsy? Laser lithotripsy is a surgical technique to remove kidney stones, using a laser to destroy them, with the holmium laser being perhaps the most famous device used. It is an example of minimally invasive laser technology. It is usually performed under local anaesthesia or light sedation to eliminate the pain of the intervention.   Why is laser lithotr

What is laser photocoagulation? Laser photocoagulation is a type of eye surgery that uses laser-generated heat in order to either reduce the size of or destroy any abnormal blood vessels that may be present in one's retina. The laser device can effectively cover any leaking blood vessels, whilst also being incredibly accurate and efficient when it comes to improving retinal oxygen

What is laser pigmented lesion removal?Pigmented lesions are spots that appear on the skin and are a different colour to the skin on the rest of the body. The main cause of the appearance of spots that appear over time on the arms, hands, neckline or face is exposure to ultraviolet rays from the sun and from artificial tanning lamps. Pigmented lesions are common and most of them are benign, but so

What is laser resurfacing? Laser skin resurfacing is a skincare procedure that improves the texture and appearance of the skin. The laser stimulates collagen production by directing beams of light at areas of blemishes and irregularities such as wrinkles, acne scars and more. A topical anaesthetic is applied to the face to lessen the pain. There are two types:  Ablative lasers: Th

What is laser scar therapy? Laser scar therapy, otherwise known as laser scar concealing, is a treatment offered by dermatologists, used to improve the appearance of scars, blemishes or marks on the skin.     What can laser scar concealing techniques be used to treat? Laser scar concealer treatments can be used to even skin tone and reduce the visibility of scars,