Medical laser therapy
Laser therapy in Lugano
Laser therapy uses light energy to stimulate tissue healing and relieve pain. It is used non-invasively on the skin and invasively, with an optical fibre or guide needle, to reach deep structures precisely.
- Non-invasive: pain, inflammation, microcirculation, superficial regeneration
- Invasive: chronic conditions, tendon or joint injuries, resistant cases
- Members of ISLA and European Laser Clinics
Effects of low-level laser therapy
Anti-inflammatory
Reduces inflammation in the affected tissues.
Anti-oedema
Counters swelling and helps drain fluid.
Microcirculation
Increases skin microcirculation in the treated area.
Regeneration
Supports cell repair in injured tissue.
Wound healing
Speeds up the repair of wounds and tissue.
Analgesic
Reduces pain without medication.
Cellular energy
Increases ATP production in the mitochondria of irradiated cells.
Immune response
Modulates the inflammatory and immune response of the tissues.
What do clinical trials say about laser therapy?
The effects on tissue come mostly from laboratory and animal studies (Hamblin 2017). In clinical trials: less neck pain than placebo across 16 trials (Chow 2009), more microcirculation in the treated skin (Schindl 1998), less arm swelling in lymphoedema after breast cancer (Mahmood 2022), diabetic foot ulcers that heal more often (Chen 2025).
Treatment options
Local non-invasive laser therapy
Up to twelve externally fixed laserneedles stimulate several points at once, with blue, green, yellow, red and infrared lasers. A painless procedure.
Intra-articular laser therapy
Direct irradiation of joint tissue using catheter technology, in chronic joint pain.
Intravenous laser therapy
Laser light applied in the bloodstream through a dedicated catheter to stimulate circulating cells. A technique in use in Germany since 2005.
Interstitial laser therapy
A percutaneous technique with a sterile catheter that carries light to a depth of about 12 cm, for deep chronic conditions.
Dermatological laser therapy
Chronic wounds, herpes, acne and warts, with photosensitising creams where needed.
Laser and PRP
Autologous platelet-rich plasma is combined with laser irradiation on joints, tendons and skin; the added effect of the laser has not yet been measured.
Photodynamic laser therapy
A photosensitiser activated by laser acts selectively on the target tissue, with an antimicrobial variant (aPDT) against bacterial, viral and parasitic pathogens.
Frequently asked questions
Why are different wavelengths used?
Because light does not reach the same depth everywhere. The photobiomodulation literature describes mainly the band between about 600 and 1000 nanometres: red, between 600 and 700 nanometres, acts on superficial tissue; near-infrared, around 780–950 nanometres, penetrates deeper. The effect also depends on how long the tissue is irradiated and on the energy delivered. The practice uses the Weberneedle® Endolaser: red 635 nm, green 532 nm, blue 447 nm, yellow 589 nm, ultraviolet 375 nm and near-infrared 780–950 nm, each with its own indications. The choice is made at the visit, on the tissue to be treated.
Is laser therapy painful?
External laser therapy is painless: up to twelve laserneedles fixed on the skin stimulate several points at once. For invasive applications, local anaesthesia is used at the entry point of the fibre or guide needle, so deep structures can be reached in a targeted way. The choice between non-invasive and invasive treatment follows your diagnosis and medical history, at the consultation.
How many sessions are needed?
It depends on the condition. Chronic conditions are treated in courses, with results reviewed along the way. Non-invasive and invasive forms are not interchangeable in advance: the modality is chosen after the diagnosis. Laser and PRP, laser and acupuncture, laser and ultrasound-guided injections are combinations in regular use at the practice when there is an indication.
Are there contraindications?
Yes, and they are checked at the consultation. The literature lists malignant tumours, irradiation of the abdomen during pregnancy, epilepsy, irradiation of the neck in hyperthyroidism and direct exposure of the retina as contraindications; fever and infectious diseases are assessed case by case.
Can it be combined with other therapies?
Yes: laser and PRP, laser and acupuncture, laser and ultrasound-guided injections are combinations in regular use at the practice.
Is laser therapy covered by insurance?
The physician holds the RME quality label for acupuncture and Chinese medicine, and in Ticino the practice bills complementary insurers: with complementary insurance, under certain conditions, the treatment can be reimbursed. Patients with basic insurance only receive a clear cost estimate at the visit and pay directly.
News on this treatment
Nobel 2026 · 8 October 2026
The 2026 Nobel Prize in Medicine: what optogenetics is and what it has to do with laser therapy
The 2026 Nobel Prize honours optogenetics, which activates nerve cells with light. What it is, and why it is not laser therapy.
Scientific sources
- Chow RT, et al. Efficacy of low-level laser therapy in the management of neck pain: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised placebo or active-treatment controlled trials. Lancet. 2009;374:1897–1908. doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(09)61522-1
- Hamblin MR. Mechanisms and applications of the anti-inflammatory effects of photobiomodulation. AIMS Biophys. 2017;4:337–361. doi:10.3934/biophy.2017.3.337
- Navratil L, Kymplova J. Contraindications in noninvasive laser therapy: truth and fiction. J Clin Laser Med Surg. 2002;20:341–343. doi:10.1089/104454702320901134
- Asgari R, et al. Management of oxidative stress for cell therapy through combinational approaches of stem cells, antioxidants, and photobiomodulation. Eur J Pharm Sci. 2024;196:106715. doi:10.1016/j.ejps.2024.106715
- Schindl A, et al. Low-intensity laser irradiation improves skin circulation in patients with diabetic microangiopathy. Diabetes Care. 1998;21:580–584. doi:10.2337/diacare.21.4.580
- Mahmood D, et al. Clinical application of low-level laser therapy (photo-biomodulation therapy) in the management of breast cancer-related lymphedema: a systematic review. BMC Cancer. 2022;22:937. doi:10.1186/s12885-022-10021-8
- Chen B, et al. Intervention effects of low-level laser therapy (LLLT) on grade I–II ulcers in diabetic foot patients: A meta-analysis. Wound Repair Regen. 2025;33:e70021. doi:10.1111/wrr.70021
Not sure which treatment is right for you?
For musculoskeletal pain the practice follows several routes, often combined. The specialist visit, with ultrasound when needed, clarifies which one is indicated in your case.
Rheumatology
Diagnosis and treatment plan: the first visit when the pain is in the joints, back or tendons.
Acupuncture
Needles, needle-free laser or ear acupuncture, performed by a specialist physician.
Interventional pain therapy
Ultrasound-guided injections of joints and soft tissues, with hyaluronic acid or PRP when indicated.
PRP for joints and tendons
Plasma prepared from the patient's own blood and injected into tendons and joints.
The information on this page is for general information only and does not replace medical advice. The indication, expected benefits and risks of every treatment are assessed individually during the specialist consultation.
We assess whether laser therapy suits you
The choice between non-invasive and invasive treatment follows your diagnosis and medical history.
We accept referrals and second-opinion requests from your physician, via HIN. dr.djordjevic@hin.ch
How to reach us
In Lugano, a short walk from USI and EOC
The practice is centrally located in Italian-speaking Switzerland, also reachable by car and by train from Mendrisio, Bellinzona, Locarno and Chiasso.
By car: the practice's own car park is right in front. By public transport: a short walk from USI.
Address
Via Alessandro Volta 1
6900 Lugano
Opening hours
Monday–Friday 08:00–16:30
Saturday and Sunday closed
Phone
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