---
title: "Laser drilling: meaning in gemology"
description: "Laser drilling is a clarity treatment that bores a tiny channel to an inclusion, usually a dark one. The laser then burns the inclusion away, or a bleaching…"
url: https://digitalgemology.com/learn/glossary/laser-drilling
image: https://digitalgemology.com/img/og-digital-gemology.png?v=d224fb01
---

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[Glossary](https://digitalgemology.com/learn/glossary) · Treatments and origin

# Laser drilling

Also called laser-drilled, LDH treatment

Laser drilling is a clarity treatment that bores a tiny channel to an inclusion, usually a dark one. The laser then burns the inclusion away, or a bleaching agent enters through the channel.

## In more detail

It is permanent, so GIA grades a laser-drilled stone and discloses the treatment. IGI also discloses permanent treatments in Comments.

## On a grading report

The drill hole appears in the key to symbols, and Comments describes the treatment.

## Related terms

- [Laser drill hole](https://digitalgemology.com/learn/glossary/laser-drill-hole): A laser drill hole is a tiny, surface-reaching tunnel made by a laser beam, usually toward a dark inclusion.
- [Internal laser drilling](https://digitalgemology.com/learn/glossary/internal-laser-drilling): Internal laser drilling is laser work inside a diamond that creates or widens a surface-reaching feather around a dark inclusion. The feather lets a bleach in to make the inclusion less visible.
- [Treatment](https://digitalgemology.com/learn/glossary/treatment): A treatment is any process, other than cutting and polishing, that changes a gem's color or apparent clarity. Anyone who sells a treated gem must disclose the treatment.
- [Key to symbols](https://digitalgemology.com/learn/glossary/key-to-symbols): The key to symbols is the list beside the clarity plot. It names the kinds of clarity characteristic on that plot.

## Learn more

- [Comments, treatments and lab-grown origin on a diamond report](https://digitalgemology.com/learn/grading-reports/diamond-report-comments-treatments-origin)
- [The clarity plot: how to read the inclusion map on a report](https://digitalgemology.com/learn/grading-reports/diamond-clarity-plot)

[All 328 terms](https://digitalgemology.com/learn/glossary)