Rebecca Fitzgerald MD

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Cosmetic Dermatology

Skin Laser

What can the Candela pulsed dye laser treat?
The Vbeam laser treats anything that's the color red. By zeroing in on the little inflamed or broken vessels in your skin, you'll have more normal skin color.

Click here to see various conditions treatable by skin laser.

The typical targets of Vbeam laser treatments are:

  • Rosacea - helps seal off spider veins to control flushing and redness
  • Facial veins - dissipates enlarged or broken veins on the cheeks and around the nose
  • Scars - takes the red out of acne scars, injury scars or red surgical scars making them less noticeable
  • Red birthmarks - hemangiomas and port wine stains
  • Angiomas -removes the tiny "drops of red" that can appear anywhere on the body and often trouble women on their chest.
  • Poikiloderma of Civatte - diminishes uneven coloring of the neck
  • Venous lakes - helps shrink this dark blue vascular "bubble" on the lip, face or ear.
  • Stretch marks -helps blend "new" stretch marks that are still red
  • Warts and non cancerous growths

What is pulsed dye laser?
The pulsed dye laser (Vbeam) produces an intensive but gentle burst of laser light at a certain frequency that is absorbed by blood vessels and not by the skin.

In this way, the laser does not damage the skin and only destroys the excess vessels underneath the skin, thus, reducing the risk of scarring or need for surface healing.

laser before

Before

laser after

After

Source - Candela Laser

How does a pulsed dye laser work?
The laser delivers an intense but gentle burst of yellow light to your skin. The light is specifically absorbed by the blood vessels in the dermis. When the blood vessels are heated, they coagulate and are then reabsorbed by your body during the natural healing process.

Is the treatment safe?
Yes. In fact, pulsed dye laser treatment is so safe that is has been used successfully for the treatment of port wine stains in infants and young children. The top layer of your skin, the epidermis, is protected during your treatment by Candela's unique dynamic cooling device, DCD™, which sprays a cooling mist onto your skin before each laser pulse, increasing your comfort.

What will the treatment consist of?

  • You'll wear special safety goggles to protect your eyes from the laser light during treatment.
  • A small hand piece will be placed against your skin by Dr. Fitzgerald to deliver the laser energy.
  • A quick burst of cooling mist will be felt prior to each laser pulse.

laser before

Before

laser after

After

Source - Candela Laser

Is the treatment painful?

Some patients may feel a slight discomfort associated with the laser pulse. This feeling has been described as the snapping of a rubber band on the skin. This minimal discomfort is decreased further by Candela's Dynamic Cooling Device™. If you are having a first treatment or are anxious or particularly sensitive, a topical anesthetic cream may be used prior to treatment.

The Vbeam is a nonablative laser. Nonablative lasers do not cut, burn or harm the surface layer of your skin, but instead work "underneath" the skin surface.

What precautions should be taken before and after pulsed dye laser treatment?

Dr. Fitzgerald recommends that you avoid sun exposure before and throughout the course of the treatment. A sun block (SPF 30 or above) should be used. The post-treatment care needed depends on what lesion was treated. Dr. Fitzgerald will explain any after-care that might be needed.
Some facial swelling may be noted from 1 to 2 days following treatment when treated around the eyes.

Vbeam Clinical Bulletins

Additional Laser Treatments

Call our conveniently located Larchmont Avenue office in Los Angeles to book your complimentary comprehensive evaluation with Dr. Fitzgerald. (323) 464-8046

 

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