Author Interviews, Dermatology, Technology / 17.04.2017
Sonoillumination May Expand Skin Types That Can Be Treated With Laser Therapy
MedicalResearch.com Interview with:
Paul J.D. Whiteside, doctoral candidate and
Dr. Heather Hunt, assistant professor of bioengineering
University of Missouri
MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this technology? What are the barriers to the use of conventional laser treatment of tattoos?
Response: Traditional laser treatments rely on the concept of selective photothermolysis (laser-induced heating) to specifically target certain structures for treatment, while leaving other parts of the skin unaffected. The problem with traditional laser treatments is that the laser needs to transmit through the epidermis, which acts as a barrier to laser transmission both due to its reflective properties and because it is filled with light-absorbing melanin, the pigment that gives our skin its color. Sonoillumination acts to change the properties of the epidermis temporarily using painless ultrasound technology, thereby allowing more laser light to penetrate deeper into the skin to impact desired targets, such as hair follicles, tattoos, and blood vessels. Funding for clinical trials is currently being sought to provide evidence for what we surmise may be benefits of this technology relative to traditional laser treatments. These benefits may include being able to treat darker-skinned people more effectively, being able to provide laser therapy with less risk of scarring or pigment changes, and being able to do treatments with less discomfort, fewer treatments, and lower laser energy settings.
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