Senior Member
That is a good question. My gut feeling is no. There is no uv to do damage without killing cells. It seems that shorter wavelengths do more celluar damage than the visible stuff without actually killing the cell. I don't really know, that is all above my pay grade.Originally Posted by White-Light
After all we have had a long time to adapt to visible~ 400 to 700nm. I don't think that there is sufficant energy at 445 to cause cellular damage, but that is just a guess. I am probally wrong.
Chad
When the going gets weird, the weird turn pro.
Senior Member
Those members who posted aren't exactly the sharpest tools in the shed. The forum has degraded to a point where rep power is no longer indicative of what the member says- if you're popular, or do lots of sales, you get rep. Whether you care about safety or not.
It's a stupid system, and people who help often don't get the recognition for their efforts.
There are members out there who contribute. We are't all stupid and reckless as many here would have you believe.
No one here said that *everyone* on LPF is stupid. We have acknowledged several times that there many people over there who are just as smart as the brightest people here. In fact, some of the brightest people here CAME from LPF...
The problem is that for every intelligent member on LPF, they have a whole pile of idiots too, so the good gets lost among the noise.
Adam
Senior Member
I think it is quite a good example of normal distribution.
This space for rent.
That may be, but is that really what you want in a forum dedicated to technical information?
Especially when there is little if any self-correcting going on?
Adam
Senior Member
The answer will depend on who is asked this question.
My take on the question; not if your seeking concise and accurate technical answers. Maybe otherwise if your seeking approval,attention or a hotch potch representing the normal distribution of knowledge and experience typical of forums with such large and varied membership.
With LPF the secret lies in your ability to filter the information presented.
This space for rent.
Senior Member
Well I don't know either but I'd be worried.
After all with radiated heat burns its the exited air particles rubbing against each other that create friction and heat that burn you.
With any form of radiation the air is usually cool. Its the radiation particles penetratinmg the cells and exiting the contents from within thus creating heat that causes the burn, or at least thats my understanding as a non physicist / medic layman.
I also understand that the radiation penetrates to differing depths even with a certain type which is why cells can be damaged below the burnt area but not actually burnt and its how the DNA thats damaged in the cells repairs iteself that dictates what happens next, ie whether the cell dies, lives damaged or becomes cancerous.
Whereas I'm no expert and what I've said above is my understanding and may be incorrect, it would have me worried as potentially anything that causes cell damage on a genetic level can potentially cause a cancer.
el gringo loco
Hey W-L -
Well, the only thing I can opin is in all the reading and studying I had to do for my NYS Op License years-ago (ie: Lasers, David Sliney, etc, etc) where extensive, years-long research had been done on the bioeffects of a much 'fuller range' of laser-emissions (far UV to far IR, etc..) I don't seem to remember reading about any cases of laser light, itself, ever having-caused cancer... most of the emphasis was (rationally) focused-on the range of corneal hazards, and 'immediate' skin hazards (ie: Brick-boy, there...)
... of course, there were potentially-carcinogenic hazards from *other* elements of certain lasers (ie: dyes, other carcinogenic chemicals as mediums, fumes from vaporization of toxic-metals, etc...) but in the 400 - 700-range, I don't remember reading anything 'outstanding' as examples of skin-cancers being a real-concern...
I would think, too, that if exposure to laser-light in the 400 - 700 was, indeed, capable of encouraging a malignancy, with all the hundreds of thousands - perhaps, even fair to say 'millions', worldwide, of surgeries / treatments performed every year (where tissue is intentionally irradiated to destruction, albeit not so 'wantonly', as in this case, but also, non-destructive, but extensive irradiation 'treatments', over time) with all those cases of various-types of tissues being 'blased', I'd figure we'd all know, by now, that 'yes, indeed, certain types of light *can* in-fact, encourage malignancy', ya know?
Perhaps certain persons with a 'hypersensitivity' to the lower UV (200-315, etc) could 'possibly' develop a malignancy, especially if they got irradiated over a large-area of skin, for a long time, and, of course, folks who 'stared' at UV-producing plasma-balls for lots of time (glass ion laser guys) developing cataracts, etc, but they might just as-well be the type of person to develop a melanoma just from being in the everyday-sun, a good-deal in their life... Who knows about this kid... I agree - it will be 'interesting' to hear from him in 15-20 years...
...That is, *if* he doesn't get drunk again one night, and decide to see 'dude, what would happen, if I tried to use this YAG to saw off my head??!!'
cheers...
j
....and armed only with his trusty 21 Zorgawatt KTiOPO4...
Senior Member
It's to be expected for the largest laser forum on the internet.
Many people go there as their first port of call knowing nothing, and rely on existing members to help them. Even though some of the newbies know nothing and are willing to learn, others can be rather lacking in the intelligence department.
PL, on the other hand, doesn't have this 'noob problem'. Most people don't jump straight into scanners, and often the newbies here already know a fair bit and know what they are doing.
The problem with LPF, however, is that the people who do help have no incentive t continue.
People who do ridiculous builds (2W handheld with a FlexMod, ahem) get more recogenition than those who help new members.
Senior Member
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