Everything to Know About Thulium Fiber Laser

The recent technological advancements in medical science have paved the way for better medical treatment and an excellent patient experience. In addition, the use of cutting-edge medical equipment has helped healthcare professionals deliver better results in less time. The Thulium Fiber Laser (TFL) is one such technology that has revolutionized the healthcare space. Although laser technologies have been around for a while, nothing is close to the thulium fiber laser machine. Read on to learn more about the remarkable thulium fiber laser technology.

The 1927nm thulium laser is a non-ablative fractional skin resurfacing laser for skin rejuvenation. There are two main kinds of laser resurfacing: confluent resurfacing where the entire facial skin is resurfaced, and fractional resurfacing, where a portion of the skin (columns of skin) is resurfaced. Fractional resurfacing treats only a portion of the skin at a time, leaving the surrounding untreated skin intact, from which healing can take place rapidly allowing a reasonable healing time. The controlled tissue injury results in stimulation of the body's natural wound healing mechanisms, leading to old tissue being replaced by new undamaged tissue and collagen. The thulium laser allows for customisable treatments, meaning all skin types and tolerance levels can be treated with minimal to no downtime. Different to traditional resurfacing lasers, the thulium laser provides gentler, yet effective treatment with less downtime and minimal discomfort when compared with older style resurfacing procedures. The thulium laser offers many advantages technology: higher power and maximum density settings, more tunable settings resulting in a wider range of treatment intensities from mild to more aggressive and reduced post-procedural side effects such as swelling.

Who is a suitable candidate?

The thulium laser machine effective treats many skin concerns including:

*Pigmentation such as freckles.

*Uneven skin tone.

*Sun damage.

*Wrinkles/fine lines.

*Textural irregularities.

*Skin laxity.

*Skin ageing.

*Visible pores.

*Scarring.

We primarily use the thulium laser to treat the face, neck, decolletage, arms and hands.

What to expect?

As with all our medical procedures, a consultation and examination is necessary prior to thulium laser treatment. Depending on the severity of your skin concerns, area to be treated and your skin type, settings are determined to achieve the best outcome for you. Numbing cream may or may not be required and will be discussed with you during your initial consultation. The treatment takes approximately 20-30 minutes to complete depending on the areas being treated. The treatment is relatively comfortable with most patients experiencing warmth and a tingling sensation over the area being treated.

Specific aftercare instructions will be given to you at the time of your procedure. Immediately after treatment your skin will feel warm and look red, similar to a mild sunburn but will not be painful. Over the following days your skin will feel dry, almost like ‘sandpaper'. In most cases, full healing is usually expected within 5-7 days. Sun protection including daily wearing and correct application of sunscreen is mandatory during treatment and is of course recommended long term as part of your skin care routine.

How are we unique?

What's unique about the thulium fiber laser technology is that it uses thulium-doped silica fiber as the active laser medium. These long and thin fibers make it perfect for complex medical procedures. Numerous diode lasers channel energy through the fiber to produce thulium ions. Whilst the thulium laser is suitable for a wide variety of skin concerns, as with all our medical treatments, a medical consultation is required prior to treatment to ensure that this is the correct treatment for your skin condition. Many skin conditions benefit from combining several treatment modalities and this consultation allows discussion of all the possible treatment options available to you.

Prominent applications of Thulium Fiber Laser technology

Minimally invasive surgical procedures have become the main goal for most doctors. The chances of success with minimally invasive surgical procedures can be high when you have the right equipment. Patients prefer these procedures over traditional surgeries as the risk is much low. Thulium Laser technologies are used for conducting a wide range of urological surgeries. Let's take a quick look at some of the most prominent applications of thulium fiber laser technology.

*Kidney stone management

One of the main applications of thulium laser technology is kidney stone management. It is used to conduct a flexible ureteroscopy that helps to remove the kidney and ureteric stones. Ureteroscopy is a medical procedure used to examine the upper urinary tract. This tract goes to the ureter through the urethra and the bladder. Thulium fiber laser allows for a minimally invasive stone management procedure without breaking significant skin barriers.

*Soft tissue treatment

Soft tissue injuries are prevalent nowadays. It happens due to the overuse of ligaments, muscles, and tendons. It can also occur due to a trauma impacting the muscles, ligaments or tendons. Benign Prostate Hyperplasia (BPH) is a soft tissue treatment that can be effectively cured using the thulium fiber laser technology. BPH is also referred to as prostate gland enlargement in simple terms. The enlargement can lead to difficulty in urination and therefore requires special care.

*Bladder tumors

Bladder cancer is caused when the bladder cells start to grow abnormally, which leads to a tumor. There are different types of bladder tumors. Non-invasive bladder cancer can be treated effectively using a transurethral approach. However, the traditional medical procedures used to treat bladder tumors carry the risk of thermal damage to nearby tissues. Research studies have shown that thulium fiber laser can provide a better treatment of non-invasive bladder cancers as it offers decreased depth and carbonization.

New Features and Benefits of Thulium laser

*Accelerated clearance of pigment: Thulium wavelength more effectively targets superficial skin layers.

*More comfortable procedure: Superficial targeting of the Thulium wavelength and focal cooling improves patient comfort.

*Larger treatment areas: Multiple body areas can be treated in a single session.

*Easily select the wavelength of choice for your treatment: the 1550 nm Erbium fiber laser, the superficial 1927 nm Thulium fiber laser, or a combination of both.

*Single operator: Handpiece integration delivers cooling directly to treatment site, eliminating need for an assistant.

*Faster treatment times: Improved scanner design increases procedure speed by 25%.

The thulium laser, by a gentle, non-ablative fractional treatment, helps the skin regain a healthy appearance and becomes more radiant and supple. With a choice of power intensities from mild to high, treatments can be performed all year round, with no recovery period. The thulium laser works by creating thousands of micro-damages (invisible to the naked eye), which provokes the body's healing processes, including the production of new collagen. Thulium laser treatment produces sensational results with a very short recovery period.