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Lasers in Skin

Lasers in Skin

By: Lisa McMahon & Mike Murphy
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 Lasers in Skin Podcast, hosted by "Laser Guru" Mike Murphy, and his daughter Lisa McMahon, dives into the science of lasers in aesthetics. Mike and Lisa delve into the fundamental physics all laser technicians must understand to get the best results, while squashing the myths, the "marketing baloney" and calling out poor training in the industry. Along with unmissable interviews and 'ask us anything' episodes, the Lasers in Skin Podcast is the ultimate podcast for laser geeks! Art Hygiene & Healthy Living Science
Episodes
  • Curious Things

    Curious Things
    Aug 28 2025
    Lisa and Mike delve into a series of curious cases they've encountered in their laser treatment practice. They discuss unusual reactions from clients, including prolonged redness after cooling treatments and unexpected swelling in sensitive areas. The conversation also touches on the challenges of treating stubborn hair in the bikini area and the complexities of tattoo removal, particularly with dense ink KEY TAKEAWAYS One client experienced prolonged redness on her lower legs after laser hair removal treatments, suggesting a possible mild inflammatory response to the cooling process rather than the laser itself. This highlights the importance of monitoring individual reactions to treatments. Another client, who is very sensitive to cold, had a significant reaction after a standard cooling duration. Adjusting the cooling time to less than two minutes still yielded good treatment results, indicating that individual sensitivity should be considered in treatment protocols. Labia hairs are noted to be particularly stubborn during hair removal treatments. Many practitioners face difficulties achieving complete removal in this area, which may be due to deeper hair follicles and the unique tissue composition of the labia. A case involving a client's tattoo removal revealed that excessive ink density in a specific area led to severe blistering and infection. This suggests that the amount of ink and the depth at which it is placed can significantly affect the healing process and treatment outcomes. BEST MOMENTS "The fact that she's seen this for days afterwards is very strange. That kind of suggests there is some sort of mild inflammatory response to the cooling." "Labia hairs are bloody stubborn. It's a well-known fact in the industry that it's not just a few people struggling with that area." "If you have an excess of ink put into a particular area, then you're going to have an excess of microscarring." "I suspect that is most likely down to the very high density of ink in that particular region." ABOUT THE HOSTS Mike began his career in medical lasers in 1986 with a physics degree and a post-grad in bioengineering. He helped develop the scar-free removal of tattoos using a Q-Switched Ruby Laser in Glasgow, and the world's first IPL system. Known well in the industry for his hard truths, no BS attitude and logical answers. As the author of three books, articles for medical journals, a well read blog, a Laser Protection Advisor and contributor to the BMLA, Mike is the Laser Guru. Lisa's claim to laser fame is being Mike's daughter. Growing up with lasers and never avoiding a physics lesson from her Dad, it was natural to enter the industry. Leaving a corporate career with a baby to jump into self employed life came with challenges. Despite that Lisa has been well recognised for her teaching style, practical tips, bringing the compassion to the science, and laser mentoring. Instagram: @dermalase_lasertraining https://mikemurphyblog.com https://www.dermalasetraining.com This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media. https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/
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    28 mins
  • Scattering

    Scattering
    Aug 21 2025
    Light Scattering and Laser Treatments: What You Need to Know In this episode of Lasers in Skin, Lisa and Mike explain how light scatters in the skin during laser treatments. They uncover the risks of treating tattoos, pigmentation, and permanent makeup (PMU), and debunk the myth that white tape or pencil can safely protect tattoos. Listeners will also hear about Mike’s upcoming experiment on different light wavelengths and what it means for safer, more effective laser procedures. KEY TAKEAWAYS Light scattering in skin – how lasers and light bounce within the dermis, creating risks if not carefully managed. Risks of treating tattoos – why lasers and IPL near tattoos can cause unintended damage or unwanted changes. Why distance matters – maintaining a safe distance from tattoos and pigmented areas is critical, with factors like wavelength and skin type influencing the risk. Permanent Makeup (PMU) concerns – the pigments used in PMU can react unpredictably to lasers, causing colour shifts or skin damage. Professional assessment is essential – moles and pigmented areas should always be checked by qualified professionals before laser treatments to ensure safety. BEST MOMENTS "The light scatters all over the place, in the dermis and everywhere, and back out of the skin. But the sideways scattering is what could cause problems if you are treating close to a tattoo or to some pigmentation." "If you fire a millisecond laser at tattoos, then we do not get the same sort of reaction that you would with a Q-switched or picosecond laser." "You can't just laser on top of this and hope it's going to be okay, which I've seen people do just because they're trained to do that." "The darker colours, the browns and blacks, they'll absorb quite strongly. The reds and yellows will absorb quite poorly. So what's going to happen is the browns and the black colours, they'll fade preferentially." "If we're going to be going over freckles, we might remove these freckles. As long as people are happy with us to do that, then I'm happy to go ahead." HOST BIOS Mike began his career in medical lasers in 1986 with a physics degree and a post-grad in bioengineering. He helped develop the scar-free removal of tattoos using a Q-Switched Ruby Laser in Glasgow, and the world's first IPL system. Known well in the industry for his hard truths, no BS attitude and logical answers. As the author of three books, articles for medical journals, a well read blog, a Laser Protection Advisor and contributor to the BMLA, Mike is the Laser Guru. Lisa's claim to laser fame is being Mike's daughter. Growing up with lasers and never avoiding a physics lesson from her Dad, it was natural to enter the industry. Leaving a corporate career with a baby to jump into self employed life came with challenges. Despite that Lisa has been well recognised for her teaching style, practical tips, bringing the compassion to the science, and laser mentoring. Instagram: @dermalase_lasertraining https://mikemurphyblog.com https://www.dermalasetraining.com This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media. https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/
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    26 mins
  • Thermal Relaxation Time, Thermal Diffusion Time & More!

    Thermal Relaxation Time, Thermal Diffusion Time & More!
    Aug 14 2025
    In this episode, Lisa and Mike discuss the concept of thermal relaxation time (TRT) and its relevance in laser treatments. They explore the historical context of TRT, tracing its origins back to discussions between physicist Dr. John Parrish and dermatologist Dr. Rox Anderson in the 1980s. The conversation highlights the importance of understanding how heat affects blood vessels and hair follicles during laser procedures. Lisa and Mike also introduce the concept of thermal diffusion time (TDT) and emphasise that the key to effective treatments lies in the denaturation time of stem cells, rather than solely focusing on TRT or TDT. KEY TAKEAWAYS This is the time it takes for the temperature of a target (like blood vessels) to drop to 50% of its peak temperature. It is crucial for determining how to effectively use lasers for treatments. The concept developed by John Parrish and Rox Anderson, which emphasises the importance of matching the laser wavelength to the target's absorption characteristics to achieve effective treatment outcomes. This is the time required to heat stem cells to a temperature that effectively destroys them. It is more critical than TRT or Thermal Diffusion Time (TDT) when it comes to ensuring the success of hair removal treatments. The effectiveness of a treatment depends not only on the temperature reached but also on how long that temperature is maintained. Higher temperatures can reduce the necessary time for effective treatment. Most of the denaturation and chemical processes occur after the laser pulse has finished, meaning that the effects of the treatment can continue even after the energy delivery has stopped. BEST MOMENTS "The whole point of the thermal relaxation time calculation was to say, let's confine the thermal energy within the blood so that it doesn't spread out everywhere during the pulse." "If you're trying to kill a hair follicle, we know that you have to basically kill the stem cells." "We don't care about TRT. Herein lies the problem. If you're basing your timings on a relaxation time, which is a cooling time of the hair, they are irrelevant." "The higher the temperature, the shorter the time you need to cook. So at 80 degrees, you might need one millisecond. 90 degrees, you might need 0.1 millisecond." "Most of the actual chemical process of denaturation and cooking occurs after the pulses, not during." ABOUT THE HOSTS Mike began his career in medical lasers in 1986 with a physics degree and a post-grad in bioengineering. He helped develop the scar-free removal of tattoos using a Q-Switched Ruby Laser in Glasgow, and the world's first IPL system. Known well in the industry for his hard truths, no BS attitude and logical answers. As the author of three books, articles for medical journals, a well read blog, a Laser Protection Advisor and contributor to the BMLA, Mike is the Laser Guru. Lisa's claim to laser fame is being Mike's daughter. Growing up with lasers and never avoiding a physics lesson from her Dad, it was natural to enter the industry. Leaving a corporate career with a baby to jump into self employed life came with challenges. Despite that Lisa has been well recognised for her teaching style, practical tips, bringing the compassion to the science, and laser mentoring. Instagram: @dermalase_lasertraining https://mikemurphyblog.com https://www.dermalasetraining.com This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media. https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/
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    32 mins
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