Two new studies finds that using a pulsed-dye laser after plastic surgery dramatically reduces skin bruising and speeds recovery. This laser therapy also can effectively treat other skin discolorations, including birthmarks and rosacea.
Remember how Star Trek’s Dr. McCoy would knit together gaping wounds with his handheld laser thingy?
No Mugato bite was too deep or phaser scorch too crispy for the good doctor’s “anabolic protoplaser”, which could instantly and seamlessly knit together even the most ragged wound– using only laser light.
Well, open your hailing frequencies, folks – it’s real.
Or something like it, anyhow. Two new studies reveal that a well-known brand of surgical laser is both safe and effective at treating the bruising that often results from plastic surgery – and other injuries as well.
One study, published in the Archives of Facial Plastic Surgery, reports that use of the Candela Corporation’s V-beam pulsed-dye laser unit resulted in a 63 percent mean improvement in skin bruising within 48 to 72 hours of application.
And since bruises are a kind of skin discoloration caused by ruptured blood vessels, the V-beam laser can be used to treat other blood vessel-related conditions as well, including aging skin, rosacea, acne, redness, birthmarks and some types of scars and skin discolorations.
And that’s big news for plastic surgery patients. Many people who have plastic surgery hide in their homes for days or even weeks post-op because they don’t want to be seen with colorful bruises.
Since surgery of any type causes damage to the blood vessels in the skin, there’s no way to avoid bruising–but the studies show that treatment with the V-beam can significantly improve the appearance of the injured blood vessels and may even speed healing as well. And less-visible bruises mean quicker recovery – and a speedy return to normal life.
So, while we may not be living in the world of Star Trek yet – it is cool that some of the gadgets we all know and love from the USS Enterprise are becoming reality today. Let’s just hope we don’t all end up having to wear those polyester space turtlenecks.
