medical rosacea

V-BEAM Perfecta Laser

This pulsed dye laser is used to treat blood vessels and redness in the skin. This laser targets hemoglobin, which is in the blood, but does not target the normal surrounding skin.

What conditions are treated with the V-beam Perfecta Laser?
◦ Broken blood vessels and capillaries.
◦ Overall redness in rosacea.
◦ Port wine stains (red birth marks).
◦ Venous lakes (varicose vein of the lip).
◦ Red stretch marks.
◦ Red scars.
◦ Stubborn warts.
◦ Bruises.
◦ Cherry angiomas.
◦ Sun damage on the face, neck and chest called ‘Poikiloderma of Civatte’.
◦ Acne, when used with a topical medication called Levulan; see below.

What to expect during your V-beam Perfecta appointment?
◦ You will be given goggles to protect your eyes from the laser light.
◦ The doctor will review the treatment to be performed and look at the areas to be treated.
◦ You will feel a cold and hot sensation, similar to rubber band snapping.
◦ After the treatment, your doctor may apply ice or a calming cream to the area.
◦ Immediately after the treatment, you will be pink in the areas treated; in the case of port wine stain, venous lakes, stretch marks and scars there will be dark bruising which will resolve.

How many treatments might be needed?
◦ The number of treatments will depend on the condition to be treated.
◦ For specific veins or broken blood vessels on the face, usually one to two treatments are recommended.
◦ For overall redness of the face, 3-5 treatments may be recommended, with yearly maintenance thereafter.
◦ In rosacea, you can anticipate a 50-75% improvement.
◦ Port wine stains or blood vessel birthmarks require 5-8 treatments, depending on the size of the lesion and age of the patient.

Who is or isn't a good candidate for the V-beam laser?
◦ The ideal candidate has light skin, and someone who does not have a tan.
◦ Patients with rosacea who are interested in this procedure should have a good skin regimen before and after the procedure to prevent or slow down recurrence.

After-care instructions:
◦ Your skin will be pink or bruised (depending on what was treated) immediately after the treatment.
◦ During the hours after the procedure, your skin may get puffy or swollen; this is normal.
◦ Follow the instructions of your dermatologist.
◦ Mild gentle cleansing and mild moisturizing is helpful.
◦ Daily sunscreen is necessary to prevent a tan while undergoing the treatments.
◦ If your face was treated, sleep with your head elevated on 2-3 pillows to avoid the swelling moving into the eye area.

Risks and side effects:
◦ If you have a history of cold sores, the virus can be reactivated by the laser treatment and the infection can spread throughout the treated area; this could lead to scarring.
◦ Discuss this with your doctor; it may be recommended that you take a preventive dose of an antiviral medication.
◦ Scarring, infection and blistering is VERY rare.
◦ The most common side effect is bruising.

PDT and acne and inflammatory rosacea using the V-beam laser:
◦ The medicated solution Levulan may or may not be applied; when applied patients get more inflammation afterwards, but the clogged pores and pimples clear up much quicker.
◦ We advise 3-4 treatments every 3-4 weeks for the best results (if using Levulan); severe cases may require 5 treatments.
◦ It is common to continue having treatments every 3 months to maintain the improvement.
◦ Depending on the severity of the acne, the dermatologist may use a laser light (V-beam laser) rather than the blue light to penetrate deeper.
◦ This treatment is not covered by insurance for the treatment of acne or rosacea.