The
laser has been around for
50 years now?! Wow. And what a remarkable invention it has been, especially in the
world of beauty. Happy Birthday, dear Laser.
We take a lot for granted when it comes to technology. And yet, without all these amazing discoveries, where would we be without them? Let's face it.....the
laser makes
skin more
beautiful.
From what we have learned, it was
Albert Enistein who actually came up with the idea back in 1917, building on his earlier calculation, that light was made up of tiny particles called photons.
Moving ahead to
May 16th, 1960 (50 yrs ago yesterday), a not well-known scientist working in an underfunded lab in California set off a technological and scientific revolution!
"Theodore Maiman and his assistant Irnee d’Haenens succeeded in coaxing a beam of coherent light out of a flashlamp-pumped crystal of pink ruby. The laser had arrived."Of course, the rest is history. Today,
lasers are used everywhere, everyday. From supermarket checkouts to dentists' offices, and so on.
We are loving the
laser for how it's changed the
skin we live in. It's marked a huge advancement in the war on
aging. Today, there's a new set of
aesthetic lasers designed to quickly, safely, and gently repair
wrinkles, sagging skin, acne, uneven texture, broken capillaries, age spots, and sun damage.
And sometimes,
lasers are even better than certain
plastic surgery procedures. Let us explain:
A 2009 November article in the
NY Times Fashion & Style section said that, when it comes to treating
aging skin around the eyes, your best bet is
laser resurfacing. It's even better than surgery.
Dr. Michael McGuire, a Los Angeles plastic surgeon and president of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons told the
NY Times this:
"If the skin is mildly wrinkled and/or pigmented, the laser can be a good option," he said, adding that he frequently gives
laser treatments to patients in their 40s to defer
face-lifts.
There are a number of different
lasers available, all developed to perform unique improvements to the
skin. Your
dermatologist can help you seek the right
laser treatment.
By the way,
laser sessions are not cheap. The price can run anywhere from $400 to $8,000, and beyond, depending on what
skin problem(s) you are trying to zap. But the results last a long time.
So, Happy 50th birthday to the
laser.....and many more!