Dermatology and Cosmetic Laser Center of Huntington

Developed by PhotoMedex, the XTRAC® excimer laser offers new hope to individuals suffering from psoriasis, vitiligo, and other skin conditions. Using an intense beam of focused laser light, the XTRAC® laser gets right to the area of concern, leaving healthy surrounding tissue alone. The XTRAC® excimer laser treatment system offers psoriasis sufferers many benefits. Depending on the extent and severity of your psoriasis, these can include:

Effective clearing — generally in 10 or less brief sessions
Provides long-lasting relief — typically several months free of symptoms
Quick, easy, painless treatment — sessions last only a few minutes
Relief without messy creams and daily skin care regimen
Covered by most major insurance companies

Tattoo Removal
Lately, the decision to obtain a tattoo has become increasingly popular, and so has the decision to remove them! An estimated 20 million Americans have tattoos, and many of them now feel that having a tattoo does not fit their new image. Those remorseful about their tattoos are consulting with cosmetic laser physicians to determine if the removal of their tattoo is possible. Today's advanced laser technology provides the means for your tattoo to be removed safely and quickly and, in most cases, without leaving a scar.

How does the treatment work?
Today, cosmetic medical lasers designed to eradicate tattoos range from a single wavelength of light to a broad spectrum of light, the varieties of which are intended to obliterate the ink in the tattoo without damaging the skin. Certain colors of light are absorbed by specific corresponding colors of the tattoo ink. The light energy vaporizes or fragments the ink particles. Your body then absorbs these ink fragments naturally and the color fades over the next couple of weeks. This treatment is very similar to methods used for years to treat birthmarks.

What are other removal options?
Laser tattoo removal is the safest, quickest and most likely to leave your skin intact following treatment. Other treatment options are surgical excision, chemical peel and traditional dermabrasion. These various treatment options are invasive treatment methods and often result in scarring.

Are there any possible side effects?
Some patients experienced redness, swelling, tenderness, crusting, sunburn sensation, or itching immediately following treatment. Your treatment program will be discussed with you at the time of your consultation. If you experience anything different than what is discussed with you following your treatment, report back to the office for a follow-up visit.

What are treatments like?
First, the area to be treated is cleansed. Emitting laser or pulsed light, the laser hand device glides over the surface of the tattoo. The size and color of the tattoo determine the length of treatment time. A tattoo roughly the size of a quarter may take approximately 3 to 5 minutes to treat. Some patients request a topical or injected anesthetic prior to treatment, minimizing the stinging effect of the laser or intense light. Many patients tolerate treatment without topical or injected anesthetic, and report the treatment as feeling similar to no more than numerous rubber band snaps. Finally, an ointment and protective dressing are applied to keep the area moist.

How many treatments are required?
Size, color, location and the age of the tattoo determine the number of treatments necessary to effectively complete removal. During the consultation, the tattoo you want treated will be examined and any questions you have will be answered. Be sure to contact your physician if you experience side effects not described during your consultation.

Vitiligo
Vitiligo or leukodermia is a chronic skin condition that causes loss of pigment, resulting in irregular pale patches of skin. The precise cause of vitiligo is complex and not fully understood. There is some evidence suggesting it is caused by a combination of auto-immune, genetic, and environmental factors. The population incidence in the United States is considered to be between 1% and 2%.

The XTRAC® excimer laser offers new hope to individuals suffering from psoriasis, vitiligo, and other skin conditions. Using an intense beam of focused laser light, the XTRAC® laser gets right to the area of concern, leaving healthy surrounding tissue alone.

Port-wine Stain

A port-wine stain or naevus flammeus is a vascular birthmark consisting of superficial and deep dilated capillaries in the skin which produce a reddish to purplish discoloration of the skin. They are so called for their color, resembling that of Port wine. It is part of the family of disorders known as vascular malformations.

Sun-Damaged Skin

The signs of aging and sun-damage are typically most visible on a person's face. The ravages of time and our harsh weather conditions cause our skin to appear older, leaving us with ruddy complexions, freckles, sun spots and unsightly veins and redness. Various lasers are used as a non-invasive treatment that effectively rejuvenates the skin treating skin damage without disruption of the skin's surface with minimal "downtime". Lasers can simultaneously treat a wide range of facial concerns safely and effectively, such as broken capillaries, skin discolouration, age spots, freckles, mottled pigmentation and the symptoms of rosacea.

A combination of peels and laser treatments are used for sun-spots and large capillaries.

Why are multiple treatments necessary?
Depending on the number of conditions you are treating, and the severity of the individual problem,a series of one to six treatment sessions may be recommended. You can return to work the same day and resume all your regular activities. By dividing the full program into several treatments, the procedure provides gradual improvement with very low risk – and, it preserves the wonderful "no down time" feature that people appreciate so much.

Medical treatment photos courtesy of Candela® Corporation, Sanofi Aventis, and Allergan®.