Facial Pigment & Vascular Treatment

How does a laser work?

The word LASER is an acronym for Light Amplification by the Stimulated Emission of Radiation. The Vbeam uses an intense beam of light, to gently treat unwanted, damaged, or diseased cells without harming the surrounding healthy cells.

What is a vascular lesion?

Skin blemishes due to abnormal blood vessels located directly under your skin’s surface that give the skin a red color are called vascular lesions. Port Wine stains, strawberry hemangiomas and spider veins (telangiectasias) are all forms of vascular lesions.

What is a pigmented lesion?

Pigmented lesions are caused by a proliferation of melanocytes in the skin. Melanocytes are the cells that manufacture melanin, which is the dark pigment in skin. Most of us have some form of pigmented lesion. They include brown age spots (lentigines), freckles (ephileds), and moles (nevi). Lesions without color are called non-pigmented lesions. They include warts and skin tags. These types of lesions can sometimes be treated with lasers but sometimes other treatments are needed.

Are laser treatments safe?

Lasers have been used successfully in hundreds of thousands of treatments. Laser treatments performed properly, by a trained medical professional, are safe and effective. There are many benefits to laser treatments including little if any pain, less invasiveness, and less chance of scarring than other surgical procedures.

Do treatments for skin lesions hurt?

Patients say they feel a sting, like the snap of a rubber band on the skin, followed by the feeling of a mild sunburn. However, some patients feel more comfortable with a local numbing agent like ice or a cold compress that effectively cools and calms the skin’s surface. The VBeam incorporates a cooling spray which lessens discomfort.

How many treatments are required?

This depends on the size, location, depth and color of your lesion. Spider veins on the face and age spots generally do well with one or two treatments, while darker or deeper birthmarks may require additional treatments. Treatments should be placed several weeks apart.

What results can be expected?

Most patients will see improvement in their vascular lesions. The improvement can be quite dramatic. However, as with any surgical procedure, there is always a possibility that only minor changes will occur and in rare cases there is no response.