Explore every episode of the podcast Lasers in Skin
| Title | Pub. Date | Duration | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Can You Wax While Getting Laser Hair Removal? We Think So! | 13 Mar 2025 | 00:21:15 | |
In this week's episode, Mike and Lisa look into the intriguing relationship between waxing and laser hair removal treatments. They explore the traditional belief that waxing should be avoided before laser treatments due to the risk of removing the hair target, but Mike presents a compelling argument based on the biology of hair growth phases. They discuss the importance of melanin in targeting hair follicles and suggest that waxing may actually enhance the effectiveness of laser treatments by reducing pain and minimizing harmful plume exposure for operators. KEY TAKEAWAYS
BEST MOMENTS "So the interesting thing that I realised while studying all this was that the new hair shaft is growing or starts to grow in anagen 3. It's not fully melanised until late in anagen 3." "So, any hair we can see that's not in catagen or telogen must be in late anagen. And that's good for us." "If you hit those with laser IPL light, it makes no difference. If it's an anagen, it means the follicle is already in the subcutis, in the fatty tissue." "If you wax them before you do the treatment, then immediately after the treatment, there's no visible hairs at all." "So I suspect that if you were to wax and then treat with laser IPL, you'd probably have a hair-free environment for quite some time." 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 | |||
| Laser Safety Updates | 06 Mar 2025 | 00:11:01 | |
In this episode, Mike and Lisa discuss the exciting news of Mike's recent election as chairman of the Association of Laser Safety Professionals (LPA). They talk through the organisation's mission to promote laser safety across various sectors, including clinics and industrial settings. Mike shares insights about the role of Laser Safety Officers (LSOs) and the new online course he's developing to train them, emphasising the importance of safety in laser use. KEY TAKEAWAYS
BEST MOMENTS "I was elected as chairman of the association of laser safety professionals, which is a small organization of laser protection advisors based in the UK." "We're going to start using this new thing that we just heard about. It's called social media." "Laser Protection Advisors are there to support Laser Safety Officers." "If you get the passport, then you've got a certificate. But we're always here behind that to support you." "It's important to have even more strings to your bow to help with that." 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 | |||
| Empowering Laser Technicians: Natasha Shares Her Four Essential Tips for Success | 27 Feb 2025 | 00:38:08 | |
In this episode, Mike and Lisa welcome their first online guest, Natasha, a laser technician from Northern Ireland. Natasha shares her journey through the challenges she faced early in her career, including a distressing experience with a potential lawsuit. She discusses how she overcame her initial lack of confidence and offers valuable tips for new and aspiring laser techs. KEY TAKEAWAYS
BEST MOMENTS "Take a deep breath and realise that this will be temporary. It is not defining of you or your treatment or your career. It will pass. Your insurance is there for a reason." "Do not settle for that training. Educate yourself. Do your research with regards to who you're going to go to for education." "You're more capable than what you probably give yourself credit for. But also, if you think you know way more than you think you do, there's a wee bit of humility there as well." "These letters are designed to scare you. They're threatening bully boy letters, but the last thing you do is respond. You pass it to your insurance company." "The ongoing support after your training is the most valuable part of the whole thing." 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 | |||
| Let's Talk Regulations | 20 Feb 2025 | 00:13:51 | |
In this episode, Mike and Lisa delve into the anticipated new regulations for laser treatments set to be introduced in Scotland in 2026. Drawing from Mike's extensive experience in the industry since opening the world's first tattoo removal clinic in 1989, they discuss the current regulatory landscape, the potential qualifications required for practitioners, and the importance of medical oversight for certain treatments. There is confusion surrounding existing regulations and a need for clarity as the industry evolves. KEY TAKEAWAYS
BEST MOMENTS "When I first started in this industry about 375 years ago. We opened the world's first clinic in Glasgow, right? It was the first clinic in the world to offer Q-switched ruby laser treatment of tattoos." "It appears to me that they don't take these things with any sort of serious level of priority. Which is a real shame because it has become a bit of a wild west out there." "Our advice right now is just wait and see what's going to happen. If you know that you are doing these treatments, look into getting your full qualifications if you've not got them yet." "The current setup suggests that if you're using CO2 lasers for skin treatments, then you need to have medical oversight. So there needs to be some sort of a medically qualified person in the loop somewhere." "If you decide to go ahead and use the lasers outside of the requirements of the regulations, then your insurance probably will be void. If something goes wrong, your insurance company will just walk away." 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 | |||
| Is Skin Cooling Important for All Technologies | 13 Feb 2025 | 00:15:43 | |
In today's episode, Mike and Lisa delve into the critical topic of skin cooling during laser treatments. They discuss the importance of maintaining optimal temperatures to prevent pain and thermal damage to surrounding tissues, particularly collagen. Mike explains the thermodynamics behind laser energy absorption and the necessity of using effective cooling methods, such as ice packs, to draw heat away from the skin. The duo also addresses common misconceptions about air and cryo cooling systems, emphasising that while they can be effective, they often fall short in providing the same level of cooling as ice packs. KEY TAKEAWAYS
BEST MOMENTS "If you're going to be deliberately heating the skin, then you need to also deliberately cool simultaneously to not only reduce the pain sensation, but also reduce any unwanted thermal damage." "You don't need gel in the skin, but more importantly, it enhances the heat transfer from the skin into the cooling agent." "Cooling is kind of like inverse heating. You need to apply it for a given time to induce the desired effect." "If you put ice on the skin surface with some gel, and you leave it for two minutes, then the top of the dermis will drop down to two degrees Celsius." "Ultimately, our advice is always to use ice packs. It absolutely sucks, but oh my gosh, it's so much better for everybody." 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 | |||
| Explain Like I'm Five - Fluence and Frequency | 13 Feb 2025 | 00:14:46 | |
In this episode, Mike and Lisa dive into the concept of fluence, a critical factor in laser treatments. They explain fluence as the concentration of energy delivered to the skin, emphasising its importance in achieving successful results for various procedures like hair removal, tattoo removal, and treating blood vessels. They also cover related terms such as pulse width and wavelength, using relatable analogies to simplify complex physics concepts. KEY TAKEAWAYS
BEST MOMENTS "Fluence is basically your make or break for any of these treatments that we are doing. To me, fluence is king. That's the main driver of pretty much all these reactions." "If you, the pulse width is basically like the little bus that brings the fluence. No, it's the bus journey. It's the duration of the bus journey." "The pulse width is just a technical thing designed into the laser, but it doesn't actually translate into the cooking or the denaturation process, the chemical processes within the tissues." "You could say, well, the penetration depth of that is three, four, five millimetres, but it's not going to do anything." "If you like what you're listening to and you want to listen to more of us or see our lovely faces more, please follow us on all of our social medias." 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 | |||
| Ever Felt Like an Imposter? - An Interview with Dr Marc Reid | 13 Feb 2025 | 01:12:08 | |
In this episode Mike and Lisa sit down with Dr. Marc Reid, author of "You Are Not a Fraud: The Scientist's Guide to Imposter Syndrome." Together they delve into the complexities of imposter experiences, exploring their origins, manifestations, and strategies for managing them. With personal anecdotes and insights from Dr. Reid's research, including a survey of over a thousand participants, the discussion highlights the commonality of these feelings among professionals, particularly during career transitions. KEY TAKEAWAYS
BEST MOMENTS "There is no good or bad or ugly. There's only awareness. That's what the whole scoring system is about." "If I had my time again, I wouldn't even call it imposter phenomenon. I would call it the imposter experience." "The very first paper written on it mentioned imposter phenomenon. Yet, if you ask 100 people in a room, have you heard of imposter phenomenon? Maybe one or two wee hands." "I would first off tell you that if I did this now, I would be in the nineties. Oh, a hundred percent. I am worse now than when I did that." "It's highly likely if there was ever going to be a scenario in which someone would start to have those questions or self-doubts, that's when it might happen." 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 | |||
| Ask Dermalase Anything | 13 Feb 2025 | 00:14:32 | |
In this episode, Mike and Lisa dive into a lively question-and-answer session, addressing a variety of topics related to laser technology and safety. They discuss common misleading claims made by laser suppliers, particularly regarding hair removal capabilities and output power, emphasising the importance of understanding fluence over mere wattage. The duo also shares humorous anecdotes, including Mike's penchant for dad jokes and a lighthearted debate about safety goggles versus ice pack cooling during laser treatments. KEY TAKEAWAYS
BEST MOMENTS "The most obvious wrong claims tend to be things like our laser can treat all hair colours and all skin colours. You just can't treat those, because there's not enough melanin in those hairs to give you a sufficient reaction." "It's really the fluence that's the important parameter there. You could say, well, I have a 5,000 watt instead of a 3,000 watt diode system, but it's not really the power that's important." "If you have a diode laser, you should not be treating skin tones 5 and 6. Those wavelengths will just damage the skin." "You need to measure the fluence coming out of it or measure the energy and divide by the area. Without doing that, you cannot really know what it's going to do." 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 | |||
| How Do We Treat Blood Vessels? | 13 Feb 2025 | 00:16:03 | |
In this episode, Mick and Lisa dive into the fascinating world of vascular removal treatments, specifically focusing on their favourite methods using IPL and long pulse YAG lasers. Lisa shares her excitement and detailed protocol for treating blood vessels, discussing the importance of pre-cooling the area, selecting the right fluence, and the technique of applying gel to the IPL tip. They explore the nuances of treating different types of vessels, including stubborn cherry angiomas and deeper leg vessels, while emphasising the significance of cooling and aftercare to minimise risks like hyperpigmentation. KEY TAKEAWAYS
BEST MOMENTS "It's the only treatment you can see instant results and it's amazing." "If you put more pressure on the blood vessel, you're going to basically get rid of the target." "The darker the skin tone, the longer you pre and post cool." "I would be selecting my 530 nanometer filter for the wavelength, and I would be whacking my IPL up very high." "You can't use a diode 808, 810 to do this. There's a lot of marketing baloney." 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 | |||
| Welcome to the Lasers in Skin Podcast | 13 Feb 2025 | 00:17:11 | |
In this very first episode of the Lasers in Skin podcast, physicist Mike Murphy and his daughter, Lisa McMahon, introduce themselves and share their unique backgrounds in the world of lasers and skin treatments. Mike recounts his journey from studying physics and astronomy to pioneering laser tattoo removal and becoming a laser protection advisor. Lisa reflects on growing up surrounded by lasers and her transition from a corporate HR role to working alongside her father in the laser training industry. Together, they discuss their plans for future episodes, including educational segments, myth-busting, and interviews with industry professionals, all aimed at demystifying laser science and enhancing safety in laser treatments. KEY TAKEAWAYS
BEST MOMENTS "I did my first degree in physics and astronomy. I was approached by one of the lecturers who said to me, 'You're a physicist, aren't you?' I said, 'Yeah.' He said, 'Good. So you know about lasers?' I said, 'I can spell it.'" "We opened the world's first laser tattoo removal clinic in Glasgow in 1989. That was the first of its kind anywhere in the world." "Lasers have basically been in my life from the very start. I grew up around lasers and you zapping stuff all the time." "I realised when I went back to my corporate job, I hated it. Absolutely hated it. And I didn't want to be HR." "The physics behind the laser is super important and skipped over too much." 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 | |||
| Coming Soon... | 15 Jan 2025 | 00:00:06 | |
ABOUT US 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.
FOLLOW US Instagram: @dermalase_lasertraining https://mikemurphyblog.com https://www.dermalasetraining.com
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