medical grade skincare
Lasers have been used to treat various vascular lesions since the 1970s. By introducing new wavelengths and variable pulse durations, the laser treatment of vascular lesions has become safer and more effective. Hemoglobin is the primary target of Nd:YAG laser light. As the energy is absorbed by the blood in the vessel, heat is created and the vessel wall will be destroyed. Eventually the blood vessel recedes and the body’s natural processes clear away the blood vessel tissue in the same way a bruise is cleared over a period of days to a couple of weeks. Generally blood vessels with a diameter up to 4 mm can be treated. Ideal parameters depend on wavelength, pulse duration, and spot size. In general, longer wavelength laser light penetrates deeper into skin and should be chosen to target deeper vessels. The larger the vessel diameter, the longer the required pulse duration needed to slowly heat the entire vessel. Larger spot sizes penetrate deeper into tissue and optimize fluence delivery to the target.
The Nd:YAG laser can be used to treat the appearance of visible blood vessels that can appear as a symptom of rosacea. Rosacea is a common but often misunderstood condition that is estimated to affect over 45 million people worldwide. The condition initially presents with flushing and redness centrally on the face, across the cheeks, nose and forehead. Neck, chest, scalp and ears are less commonly affected. As the condition progresses other symptoms can develop such as permanent redness, red bumps (some with pus), red gritty eyes, burning and/or stinging sensations, small blood vessels visible near the skin surface, and in advanced cases, a bulbous nose. Rosacea can be confused, but also co-exist, with acne vulgaris and or seborrheic dermatitis. Fair-skinned people are disproportionately affected. Rosacea affects both men and women of all ages, but middle-aged women are more susceptible because of hot flushes during menopause.
