Future of laser dermatology

Abstract Background and Objective Laser dermatology, a long‐time model for laser tissue interactions, will play an important part in the future of research, diagnostics, and therapeutics. Study Design/Materials and Methods Laser research continues in photobiology, especially in molecular reactions, and it continues at the cellular level in melanocyte and Langerhans cells. Results Laser diagnostics in the development of opto‐electronics concern new developments in imagery. Some studies include new types of microscopes for living skin and vary from the portable illuminated skin microscopes, the current dermatoscopes, to the coaxial polarizing microscope and the new scanning confocal microscope of Gmitro for living tissues. The regular confocal microscope for fixed tissue slides will revolutionize dermatopathology. The other research microscopes include the ultrasonic biomedical microscope and the IR microscope and the holographic microscope of optical phase conjugation used for living tissues. Conclusion New lasers for therapy include micromedical lasers, economical junction diode lasers alone and for pumping solid‐state lasers, FEL of the future, and multiwavelength laser units. These later units include seven‐wavelength units of barium, copper vapor and ruby, and are available for other heavy metal laser heads, ds gold‐628 nm and lead‐722 nm. Copper vapor can pump also Ti sapphire. The MOPO series (200 nm in the UV to > 4,500 in the IR) is the most extensive modern multiwavelength laser box type. Lasers Surg. Med. 22:3–8, 1998. Published 1998 Wiley‐Liss, Inc. This article is a US Government work and, as such, is in the public domain in the United States of America.