Laser closing of dilated vessels and vascular lesions
- Description of the treatment
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The Derm-Al Centre offers laser closing of dilated blood vessels and removal of stellate and cherry angioma with the specialist vascular laser VariLite™.
Dilated blood vessels (telangiectasia) are most often located on the face and décolleté as well as on the thighs and cruses. Depending on the type of the dilated vessel, they may have different colour:
- lively red (capillaries),
- bluish purple (veins).
Extensive telangiectasia may form rosacea. Vascular lesions caused by may affect the whole face, neck and décolleté. If this is the case, laser treatment will have to be repeated a number of times.
On the thighs and cruses, laser is applied if telangiectasia is too small for sclerotherapy (injecting an obliterating medication into the vain). In this area, treatment is the most effective in an early stage of varicose vein disease or after sclerotherapy treatment of larger vessels.
An ideal indication for the treatment are individual vascular lesions, such as stellate angioma or cherry angioma that look like red papules. This type of lesions may be removed in one treatment.
How does the VariLite™ laser treatment work
The laser operates on two wavelengths: 532 nm and 940 nm. The high absorption 532 nm beam is used mainly for the treatment of smaller, superficial red capillaries.The moderate absorption 940 nm beam is used for deeper and larger blue capillaries. With this wave length, the sun tan or skin phototype are not an issue.
- Wavelength selection and controlled pulse duration increase the precision of the procedure and reduce the feeling of discomfort as well as the risk of side effects
- The high power of the laser, various spot sizes and adjustable energy density make the treatment more efficient
- The diode technology ensures the longevity of the laser
The physician adjusts the laser parameters to the type of the lesion and the layer and structure of the skin. Then, a laser beam is applied to the selected spot. The laser is precise enough to selectively treat lesions within the desired tissue. After the treatment, scabs or dark spots may develop and remain for several days. The should not be scratched or removed. The physician may recommend antibiotic ointment or soothing cream to accelerate healing.
The treatment may cause subjective sensation, like stinging, burning or pain. Because each patient reacts individually, it is possible to first make a laser test to make sure that the sensation is acceptable for the patient and to see how their skin reacts to the laser.
Depending on the size and number of lesions, the treatment may have to be repeated a number of times. One treatment is enough to remove small, individual vessels.
The treatment may be repeated on the same part of the skin after appr. 8 weeks.
After the treatment, one should refrain for a few days from physical exercise, massages, hot baths and any situations that could expose the skin to damage. Also, exposure to sun should be avoided and it is important to use cosmetics with high protection filter. The physician will inform the patient of any further recommendations.
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