Lasers Blasts away Fat – Possible
treatments for Acne, Clogged Arteries and Cellulite Removal
April 10th, 2006
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Free Electron
Laser
Photo By: Greg Adams,
Jefferson Lab |
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Laser technology
may be used in the treatment of severe acne, atherosclerotic plaque, and
cellulite. Researchers from the Wellman Center for Photomedicine at
Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, and the
Department of Energy’s Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility
(Jefferson Lab) will present their results at the American Society for
Laser Medicine and Surgery (ASLMS) 26th Annual Meeting in Boston,
Massachusetts.
The researchers
studied the effects of lasers on both human and pig fat to find which
laser would not damage the outer skin. They used a Free-Electron Laser
facility at Jefferson Lab of a wavelength of infrared laser light with a
range of 800-2600 nanometers. They narrowed in the laser selection by
first testing different lasers on water. The researchers narrowed in
there laser wavelengths that worked best with fat. These wavelengths
are 915, 1210, and 1720 nm.
They exposed
pieces of intact pig skin and fat tissue samples to the free-electron
laser infrared light with the 1210 and 1720 nm wavelengths to see the
results. The goal was to target the fat without damaging the skin. The
1210 nm wavelength heated the pig fat 1cm deeper than the 1720 nm.
Dr. Rox Anderson
who is the lead author of this study and is also a practicing
dermatologist at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) believes that the
use of fat targeting laser will have multiple health benefits.
"The root cause of
acne is a lipid-rich gland, the sebaceous gland, which sits a few
millimeters below the surface of the skin," Anderson said, "We want to
be able to selectively target the sebaceous gland, and this research
shows that if we can build lasers at this region of the spectrum, we may
be able to do that."
Dr. Anderson
believes that the most beneficial laser treatment they will have is for
the treatment of acne. The lasers would be directed at the sebaceous
glands. Acne drugs containing isotretinoin, Accutane is the brand name,
can have an adverse side effects causing severe birth defects for
mothers that have used during pregnancy. The FDA made it more difficult
for patients to take the drug by passing two negative pregnancy tests
and promising to use 2 different forms of contraception. The women also
need to take a pregnancy test each month taking the drug.
Other uses for the
laser technology could be for treatment for the removal of plaque build
up in the arteries. By removing the fatty buildup it could reduce the
amount of people that suffer from heart disease and stroke.
It would be very
likely to see the laser treatment being used to melt cellulite which
causes the skin to be textured and not smooth. It would be some time to
perfect this technology and the study at this time is only preliminary.
Nicole Wilson
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