Fine Lines and Wrinkles: For lines and wrinkles, a combination of skin resurfacing lasers and skin-tightening procedures can be used. The fine lines and wrinkles reduction can be accomplished with an ablative laser, such as a CO2 (carbon dioxide) laser or Erbium lasers. Pulsed dye lasers, along with nonlaser, light-based treatments, such as intense pulsed light therapy (IPL) and light-emitting diode (LED) photofacials have shown success.

Skin Tightening: Most cosmetic laser procedures produce a controlled injury of the skin, which encourages increased collagen production. For significant tightening results, CO2 lasers are the laser of choice. Nonlaser, light-based treatments, such as infrared devices and radio-frequency based systems have shown tightening results.

Pigmented Areas: The most commonly used lasers for hyperpigmented areas are the pulsed dye, Nd:YAG, and fractional CO2 lasers. Nonlaser, light-based treatments, such as IPL, can be used as well.

Vascular Lesions: Vascular lesions, including broken blood vessels, spider veins, spider nevi, hemangiomas, and certain birthmarks can be treated with laser therapy. The most commun therapy used is the nonlaser intense pulsed light therapy (IPL). The most used laser therapy for these vascular lesions are pulsed dye, Nd:YAG and diode lasers.

Tattoos: The Q-switched laser and Nd:YAG remain popular for tattoo removal. IPL has shown good results as well.

Hair Removal: The speed and safety of laser hair removal are highly dependent on the pigment present in the skin and the hair of the patient being treated. For high phototype skin patients, the Nd:YAG and diode lasers are often the lasers of choice, and for low phototype skin patients, IPL has been proved effective as well.

Acne Scars: For deeper acne scars, the CO2 laser remains the chosen treatment, but recent developments such as the erbium:YAG, fractional laser and certain nonablative lasers have shown considerable success for treating superficial acne scarring.