There are many people who want to remove vascular lesions from their body such as varicose veins, red spots and any other skin reaction. Vascular laser is a comfortable and effective solution to say goodbye to them.
The vascular laser is a light device (laser type) with a fixed wavelength, which is very selective to produce a photocoagulation of oxyhemoglobin, a substance found in red blood cells, inside the blood vessels.
It is the most commonly used treatment in dermatology and is known as pulsed dye laser. It is very effective and selective for reddish lesions, mainly vascular. It is a safer method compared to other older treatments such as the application of the electroscalpel.
In infancy, we apply it early for the treatment of capillary vascular malformations also known as port wine stains (spots or birthmarks that look like a splash of red wine on the skin). It is also sometimes applied in some patients with infantile hemangiomas. In adulthood, it is indicated in patients with spider veins, couperose, rosacea, red scars, stretch marks, ruby spots, etc.
Any area of the body can be treated. Normally, the face is the area where it is most commonly applied since most of the above-mentioned dermatological diseases or alterations often appear there. It is also widely used on the legs, although in this area the response may be slower, requiring, in general, a greater number of sessions.
One of its main advantages is that the treatment is practically painless. Adults tolerate it very well, without the need for anesthesia. Children, on the other hand, especially when the lesion is extensive and located on the face, usually need sedation. In the Hemangioma and Vascular Malformations Unit of Clínica Ruber and Clínica Dermatológica Internacional we perform this procedure from 3-4 months of age. We observe positive results in a short time when the treatment is started early, in the first months of life.
The number of sessions depends on the type of lesion being treated. A spider vein is removed in one or two sessions. Angiomas, on the other hand, may require a large number, depending on each case. Couperose (flushing of the skin caused by capillary vessels) is much improved with three sessions, as are scars.
Side effects of the laser are infrequent and, exceptionally, a burn or scar may appear. Hyperpigmentation of the area is rarely seen, but if it occurs it is temporary and usually subsides within a few weeks.