Ablation is defined as the removal of material from the surface of an object by vaporization, chipping, or other erosive processes. Often used in the context of laser ablation, a process by which the molecular bonds of a material are dissolved by a laser. Evaporation is the process whereby atoms or molecules in a liquid state (or solid state if the substance sublimes) gain sufficient energy to enter the gaseous state. ... Look up Erosion in Wiktionary, the free dictionary Severe soil erosion in a wheat field near Washington State University, USA. Erosion is the displacement of solids (soil, mud, rock, and so forth) by the agents of wind, water, ice, movement in response to gravity, or living organisms (in the case... Guo et al. ... Covalently bonded hydrogen and carbon in a molecule of methane. ... Laser (US Air Force) A LASER (Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation) is an optical device which uses a quantum mechanical effect called stimulated emission (discovered by Einstein while researching the photoelectric effect) in order to generate a coherent beam of light from a lasing medium of controlled purity...

Ablation is also used in ablative armor and in ablative heat shields to protect things from heat, such as the heat shields used by the Apollo Command/Service Module on re-entry. Ablative armor is armor designed to negate damage by itself being damaged or destroyed. ... In aeronautics, a heat shield is a protective layer on a spacecraft or ballistic missile that is designed to protect it from high temperatures, usually those that result from aerobraking during entry into a planets atmosphere. ... Description Role: Earth and Lunar Orbit Crew: 3; CDR, CM pilot, LM pilot Dimensions Height: 36. ...

In medicine, ablation is the same as removal of a part of biological tissue, usually by surgery. Surface ablation in the skin (also called resurfacing, because it induces regeneration) can be carried out by chemicals (peeling) or by lasers. Its purpose is to remove skin spots, aged skin, wrinkles, thus rejuvenating it. Surface ablation is also employed in otolaringology for several kinds of surgery, such as for snoring. NLM (National Library of Medicine, contains resources for patients and healthcare professionals) Virtual Hospital (digital health sciences library by the University of Iowa) Online Medical Dictionary Collection of links to free medical resources Wikicities has a wiki about medicine: Medicine Categories: Medicine | Health ... Biological tissue is a group of cells that perform a similar function. ... A typical modern surgery operation For other meanings of the word, see Surgery (disambiguation) Surgery (from the Greek cheirourgia - lit. ... Model of the layers of human skin In zootomy and dermatology, skin is an organ of the integumentary system; which is composed of a layer of tissues that protect underlying muscles and organs. ... In biology, regeneration is the ability to recreate lost or damaged tissues, organs and limbs. ... Ageing or aging is the process of getting older. ... A wrinkle is a ridge or crease of a surface. ... Rejuvenation is the procedure of reversing the aging process, thus regaining youth. ... Snoring is the act of breathing through the open mouth in such a way as to cause a vibration of the uvula and soft palate, thus giving rise to a sound which may vary from a soft noise to a loud unpleasant sound. ...

Surface ablation of the cornea for several types of eye refractive surgery is now common, using a special excimer laser system (LASIK and LASEK). Since the cornea does not grow back, laser is used to remodel the cornea refractive properties, in order to correct refraction errors, such as astigmatism, myopia and hyperopia. The cornea is the curved, transparent layer that covers the front part of the eye and protects its inner structures. ... Refractive Eye Surgery is any eye surgery used to improve the refractive state of the eye and decrease the dependency of glasses. ... An excimer laser is a form of ultraviolet chemical laser which is commonly used in eye surgery and semiconductor manufacturing. ... LASIK, an acronym for Laser-Assisted In Situ Keratomileusis is a form of refractive laser eye surgery procedure performed by ophthalmologists (MD/DO) intended for correcting the vision in order to reduce a persons dependency on corrective devices, such as glasses or contact lenses. ... This article or section should be merged with Photorefractive keratectomy LASEK, an acronym for Laser-Assisted Sub-Epithelial Keratectomy, is an eye surgery procedure intended to reduce a persons dependency on glasses or contact lenses. ... Refraction in a Perspex (acrylic) block. ... Refraction error is an error in the focussing of light by the human eye. ... Aspherical cornea (top, exagerated) and normal eye below. ... Normal vision for a achromatopsic colour-blind person. ... Hyperopia (or more rarely, hypermetropia), also known as farsightedness or longsightedness, is a defect of vision caused by an imperfection in the eye (often when the eyeball is too short), causing inability to focus on near objects, and in extreme cases causing a sufferer to be unable to focus on...

Lobotomy and hemispherectomy are examples of ablative brain surgeries. Psychosurgery is the practice of performing surgery on the brain to treat or alleviate severe mental disease. ... Hemispherectomy is a medical procedure where one hemisphere (half) of the brain is removed. ...

External links

• Physics of laser ablation
• Lasik Laser Eye Surgery. USA Food an Drugs Administration info.
• Physical Modalities, Including Laser. eMedicine index of articles on the subject.
• Chemical Peeling. American Academy of Dermatological Surgery.