Have you ever noticed a patch of unwanted hair forming underneath your chin? Perhaps the wrinkles gathering by your eyes are driving you crazy? Have you ever wanted to take care of that scar on your cheek from a childhood accident? All of these skin imperfections and more can be treated with simple procedures, which utilize a wide-range of laser options. This approach towards skin treatment is catching on more and more, as the effectiveness and long-lasting results of laser techniques are becoming quite evident to the public. For years, unsightly brown age spots to hairy legs, have been used successfully treated with lasers. Unwanted Hair Removal Unwanted hair can pop up anywhere from your legs to your shoulders to the upper lip. Whether it is perfecting bikini lines in women or removing the excess hair from a man's back, laser treatments have been effective in creating a smooth appearance that lasts much longer than other methods of hair removal, such as shaving or waxing.

Even when compared to another near-permanent hair removal solution, laser treatments also produce better results than electrolysis. Not only do the use of lasers take a much shorter time to complete treatment sessions, but also cost less in the long run. Lasers remove unwanted hair by passing through the skin and killing hair follicles. When it comes to hair removal, there are different types of lasers that may be used to complete the process.

For instance, the Inferred Altus Coolglide Laser may be used to focus on deeper follicles and thicker hair that may appear on the chin, armpits, and back. A Long Pulsed Ruby Laser has been known to work wonders on fair skin with dark hair, whereas a Long Pulsed Alexandrite Laser is effective in treating dark, medium to fine strands of hair. Some laser technicians may choose to use a Long Pulsed Neodymium option, which has been known for its speed in hair removal.

After a laser hair removal treatment, the hair will fall out and slowly creep back after six months. The more treatments that are done, the better and longer the effects will be, which can sometimes lead to permanent hair removal results. The number of sessions a patient must undergo is determined by the thickness, placement and color of hair they want treated.

Ingrown Hairs You may have never referred to this common problem as "pseudofolliculitis barbae", but the irritating development of ingrown hairs (also known as shaving bumps) wreaks havoc on the faces of many men. A variety of different laser treatments are used to correct this problem, depending on skin and hair color. For example, a patient with darker skin and black hair may require a long-pulsed Nd:YAG laser with a cooling tip, which has been known to provide remarkable results. Wrinkle Treatment As we age, the chances of acquiring those unwanted folds, stretches and gaps in the skin become higher and higher as our skin loses more of its elasticity and youthful appearance. Sometimes, wrinkles appear prematurely in younger patients, especially in those who excessively sunbath or smoke cigarettes. More and more people are turning towards cosmetic surgery and the less evasive laser treatment to ease some of these fine lines and wrinkles on the skin, especially on the hands and face.

Wrinkle treatments, as well as skin resurfacing is becoming a popular method of choice that might be rather painful to endure. Once the redness and swelling subsides, a more refreshed layer of skin is revealed. Laser treatments involve the removal of dead and damaged layers of skin. The time it takes to heal from the procedure varied from patient to patient.

Acne Treatments You may have suffered from the ups and downs of adolescence with results that appeared all over the surface of your face. Today, the spread of acne and skin flare-ups may continue into adulthood to those well into their 50s. It may be an inherited condition or simply influenced by the environment and lifestyle of a patient.

Nonetheless, acne and acne scarring is an unwanted condition of the skin. Lasers can be used to treat this condition. The use of lasers produces a much less painful treatment choice than the more abrasive chemical peel or irritating skin creams. First, lasers are used to kill the bacterium that causes active acne.

Secondly, the glands that produce oil will be decreased in size. This aids in lessening future outbreaks. When having an acne laser treatment, you will find that the painless treatment takes less than an hour and requires no "out-of-commission" time to be taken from work and play. Treating Acne Scars; Brown and Red Spots When acne scars are treated with lasers, they are used to promote the new growth of collagen, which fills in the unattractive appearance of the scars from the inside out.

The brown and red discoloration spots left behind from acne is similar to pigmented lesions and vascular lesions that appear on the skin as we age. Laser treatments aim to eradicate the appearance of such spots in the same manner. Stretch Marks Whether you have completed your last pregnancy or have been bodybuilding for a while, you may notice stretch marks forming about your body. They tend to appear throughout the body when skin is expanding at a faster than normal rate, which is also common in overweight patients or those who have recently underwent a weight reduction surgery. For many, they are simply unappealing to look at.

More patients are moving towards laser treatments to ease their appearance. Tossing away their creams and gels, patients recognize the collagen-plumping properties of laser treatments, which eventually fills in the undesirable "stretched" look of the skin. Skin Resurfacing and Scar Removal It may be the scar on your knee from a daredevil bike trick or the car accident that has left impeding scratches on your face; laser treatments have been known to provide effective scar removal and skin resurfacing treatments for patients.

Lasers allow doctors to remove tissue without bleeding and aid in the tightening of collagen fibers. After the treatment, there is about a month of healing time that needs to be considered. For some, the pain and recuperation time is well worth the trouble, especially when the lasers are able to remove the remnants of painful memories.

Tattoo Removal It may have seemed like a good idea at the time, but tattooing the Grateful Dead on your arms may not be as attractive as it once seemed years ago. This is when tattoo removal may be a good idea to consider and laser removal is one of the most effective treatments to consider. When a laser is used to remove a tattoo, the laser passes through the pigment of the skin and disperses the leftovers of the ink, which is then carried throughout the body as waste. A Q-Switched laser has been known to create the best results, where the ink absorbs visible damage. Different colors of ink will require a different kind of laser. For example, Q-switched Alexandrite produces a purple or red light, which is good for removing the green coloring of a tattoo.

Usually, the best results of tattoo removal are seen in those who have medium to fair skin.

Barry A. S. Lycka is one of North America's foremost authorities on cosmetic, and laser surgery of the skin.He is founder of Ecsa (the ethical cosmetic surgery association)(http://www.ecsaonline.com) You can find out more at http://www.barrylyckamd.com and http://www.restoringyouthonline.com.