There are many people who suffer from redness and other forms of hyperpigmentation on the skin. If you are one of them, you may wonder if anything can be done to lessen the appearance of such things, or if you are simply going to be stuck with it forever. At the New England Cosmetic Surgery and Laser Center, we have something that can help: the VBeam Laser Treatment.
Facial redness can be caused by many different things. Rosacea is very common, for example, affecting nearly 16 million people in the United States. But that is not the only kind of facial redness. Dilated blood vessels can cause redness on the nose, cheeks, and chin. For other people, the problem is angiomas — small, benign, red clumps of blood vessels. Reddish birthmarks, also known as port wine stains, are another common problem. Some redness can also come from sun damage or other environmental factors. While nearly all of these issues don’t pose any significant threats to your health, they are all unsightly and many people wish to find a way to lessen the look of facial redness. The VBeam Laser may well be the answer for you.
VBeam is a pulsed dye laser that has had a safe and effective history for more than ten years. It works by directly targeting problem blood vessels to heat them so that they collapse and are reabsorbed into your body. This is done with pulses of light that go straight to the problem areas without damaging or affecting healthy skin around those areas. Collapsed blood vessels are no longer visible, resulting in reduced or even entirely absent skin redness.
Most people will require more than one VBeam session before full results are seen. How many sessions you need with depend on many factors, including the nature of the problem you are trying to treat, how large of an area you are trying to treat, and your individual skin. Your doctor will discuss your specific issue with you before sessions begin, so that you have an idea of what you can expect in terms of both number of sessions and the results you can expect.
VBeam treatments are quick and comfortable, with virtually no side effects. Most patients experience little to no discomfort during their sessions; this is partly due to a cooling effect that the machine utilizes to keep any discomfort to a minimum. Some people have reported feeling cold and hot “snaps” on the skin, somewhat like the snapping of a rubber band. If you are concerned about any discomfort, let your doctor know.
There is no downtime following VBeam treatments. You can return right to your regular everyday activities; you can even put makeup on as soon as you are done. Side effects are minimal, though sometimes there is minor bruising that resolves within a few days. You may be asked to avoid direct sun exposure or wear protective sunblock in the days immediately following your treatment.
If you think you are someone who could benefit from VBeam treatments for facial redness, call our office today. We will be happy to schedule a consultation appointment and answer any questions you may have.