Editing Laser (section)

=== In medicine ===
{{Main|Laser medicine|Lasers in cancer treatment}}

Lasers have many uses in medicine, including [[laser surgery]] (particularly [[Laser eye surgery|eye surgery]]), laser healing (photobiomodulation therapy), [[kidney stone]] treatment, [[Scanning laser ophthalmoscopy|ophthalmoscopy]], and cosmetic skin treatments such as [[acne]] treatment, [[cellulite]] and [[striae]] reduction, and [[Laser hair removal|hair removal]].

Lasers are used to treat [[cancer]] by shrinking or destroying [[Neoplasm|tumors]] or precancerous growths. They are most commonly used to treat superficial cancers that are on the surface of the body or the lining of internal organs. They are used to treat basal cell skin cancer and the very early stages of others like [[cervical cancer|cervical]], [[penile cancer|penile]], [[vaginal cancer|vaginal]], [[vulvar cancer|vulvar]], and [[non-small cell lung cancer]]. Laser therapy is often combined with other treatments, such as [[surgery]], [[chemotherapy]], or [[radiation therapy]]. [[Laser ablation|Laser-induced interstitial thermotherapy]] (LITT), or interstitial laser [[Laser coagulation|photocoagulation]], uses lasers to treat some cancers using hyperthermia, which uses heat to shrink tumors by damaging or killing cancer cells. Lasers are more precise than traditional surgery methods and cause less damage, pain, [[bleeding]], swelling, and scarring. A disadvantage is that surgeons must acquire specialized training, and thus it will likely be more expensive than other treatments.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://medlineplus.gov/ency/patientinstructions/000905.htm|title=Laser therapy for cancer: MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia|website=medlineplus.gov|language=en |access-date= December 15, 2017 |archive-date=February 24, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210224172003/https://medlineplus.gov/ency/patientinstructions/000905.htm |url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="NIHlaser">{{citation-attribution |1={{cite web |url=https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/treatment/types/surgery/lasers-fact-sheet |title=Lasers in Cancer Treatment |date= September 13, 2011 |publisher=National Institutes of Health, National Cancer Institute |access-date= December 15, 2017|archive-date=April 5, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200405184554/https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/treatment/types/surgery/lasers-fact-sheet |url-status=live}}}}</ref>

[[Low-level laser therapy]] (LLLT) is a treatment in which low-power light from lasers or [[light-emitting diode]]s (LEDs) is applied to the surface of the body.<ref name="Hamblin p.">{{cite journal | last=Hamblin | first=Michael R. | title=Photobiomodulation or low-level laser therapy | journal=Journal of Biophotonics | year=2016 | volume=9 | issue=11–12 | pages=1122–1124 | pmid=27973730 | doi=10.1002/jbio.201670113 | pmc=5215795 }}</ref><ref name="Hamblin2016">{{cite journal|last1=Hamblin|first1=MR|date=1 October 2016|title=Shining light on the head: Photobiomodulation for brain disorders.|journal=BBA Clinical|volume=6|pages=113–124|doi=10.1016/j.bbacli.2016.09.002|pmc=5066074|pmid=27752476}}</ref><ref name= 'SPIE'>{{Citation|last1=Hamblin|first1=Michael R.|title=Introduction|date=2018-01-12|url=https://www.spiedigitallibrary.org/ebooks/TT/Low-Level-Light-Therapy-Photobiomodulation/1/Introduction/10.1117/3.2295638.ch1?SSO=1|work=Low-Level Light Therapy: Photobiomodulation|publisher=SPIE|doi=10.1117/3.2295638.ch1|isbn=978-1-5106-1416-1|access-date=2021-02-11|last2=Carroll|first2=James D.|last3=de Freitas|first3=Lucas Freitas|last4=Huang|first4=Ying-Ying|last5=Ferraresi|first5=Cleber}}</ref><ref name= 'aslms'>{{Cite web|title=Photobiomodulation|url=https://www.aslms.org/for-the-public/treatments-using-lasers-and-energy-based-devices/photobiomodulation|access-date=2019-09-02|website=www.aslms.org}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last1=Hamblin |first1=Michael R. |last2=Gupta|first2=Asheesh |chapter=History and Fundamentals of Low-Level Laser (Light) Therapy |date=2013 |url=https://www.taylorfrancis.com/chapters/edit/10.1201/b15582-10/history-fundamentals-low-level-laser-light-therapy-asheesh-gupta-michael-hamblin |title=Handbook of Photomedicine |access-date=2023-09-04 |publisher=CRC Press |doi=10.1201/b15582-10 |isbn=978-0-429-19384-2|editor-first1=Michael R. |editor-last1=Hamblin|editor-first2= Yingying |editor-last2=Huang}}</ref> This is claimed to stimulate healing, relieve pain, and enhance cell function. The effects  appear to be limited to specific wavelengths of light. The effectiveness of this form of treatment is still under investigation. Repeated low-level red light therapy may be effective for controlling [[myopia]] in children.<ref>Jiang M.D., Yu, et al., ''[https://www.aaojournal.org/article/S0161-6420(21)00916-7/fulltext Effect of Repeated Low-Level Red-Light Therapy for Myopia Control in Children]'', ''Ophthalmology'', American Academy of Ophthalmology, Volume 129, Issue 5P509–519, May 2022. </ref><ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Jiang |first1=Yu |last2=Zhuoting |first2=Zhu |last3=Xingping |first3=Tan |last4=Xiangbin |first4=Kong |last5=Zhong |first5=Hui |last6=Zhang |first6=Jian |last7=Xiong |first7=Ruilin |last8=Yuan |first8=Yixiong |last9=Zeng |first9=Junwen |date=2021-12-01 |title=Effect of Repeated Low-Level Red-Light Therapy for Myopia Control in Children |url=https://www.aaojournal.org/article/S0161-6420(21)00916-7/fulltext |journal=Ophthalmology|volume=129 |issue=5 |pages=509–519 |doi=10.1016/j.ophtha.2021.11.023 |pmid=34863776 |doi-access=free }}</ref> Several such devices are cleared by the [[United States Food and Drug Administration]] (FDA), and low level red light therapy is being tested for treating a range of medical problems including [[rheumatoid arthritis]]<ref name="Brosseau">{{Cite journal|last1=Brosseau|first1=L.|last2=Welch|first2=V.|last3=Wells|first3=G. A.|last4=de Bie|first4=R.|last5=Gam|first5=A.|last6=Harman|first6=K.|last7=Morin|first7=M.|last8=Shea|first8=B.|last9=Tugwell|first9=P.|year=2005|title=Low level laser therapy (Classes I, II and III) for treating rheumatoid arthritis|journal=Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews|volume=2010|issue=4|pages=CD002049|doi=10.1002/14651858.CD002049.pub2|pmid=16235295|s2cid=40986179|pmc=8406947}}</ref> and [[oral mucositis]].<ref name="oberoi2014">{{cite journal|last1=Oberoi|first1=S|last2=Zamperlini-Netto|first2=G|last3=Beyene|first3=J|last4=Treister|first4=NS|last5=Sung|first5=L|date=2014|title=Effect of prophylactic low level laser therapy on oral mucositis: a systematic review and meta-analysis.|journal=PLOS ONE|volume=9|issue=9|pages=e107418|bibcode=2014PLoSO...9j7418O|doi=10.1371/journal.pone.0107418|pmc=4157876|pmid=25198431|doi-access=free}}</ref>