Tuesday, April 11, 2006

Lasers to Melt Fat, Treat Acne, Fight Terror

Filed under: Dermatology

Is there anything lasers can't do? Researchers at Massachusettes General Hospital are using lasers to heat up subcutaneous to the point of cell death. The same technique could apparently work against acne as well.

Researchers used pig fat and two-inch-thick skin samples.

Prof. Rox Anderson, Mass. General Hospital, said "The root cause of acne is a lipid-rich gland, the sebaceous gland, which sits a few millimetres below the surface of the skin. 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... We can envision a fat-seeking laser, and we're heading down that path now "

Prof. Anderson presented the team's finding at the American Society for Laser Medicine and Surgery annual meeting.

This technique could also be used to eliminate cellulite and body fat, say the researchers. Fat build up in the arteries (plaques), which causes heart attacks, could also be treated.

The day will come when in addition to a trip to the hair salon, your teenage daughter will demand to go to the laser clinic prior to Johnny's pool party.

Hat Tip: Medical News Today

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