Sydney Vascular Laser Skin Treatments
Penetrating skin to a maximum of about one millimetre, vascular laser does not affect any deeper tissues and is not painful...
Skin blemishes may be treated at the Aesthetic Surgery Centre with the use of vascular laser. The laser light, when it is absorbed, selectively destroys these parts of the skin.
How does it work?
Lasers are scientific instruments which produce intense high energy light at particular wavelengths.
Are all vascular lasers the same?
No. Different lasers produce different wavelengths (colours) of light. The copper bromide laser produces yellow light which is preferentially absorbed by the red cells of the blood, and not by the normal skin. It also produces green light which is mainly absorbed by the melanin, or the pigmentation in the skin. The laser light when it is absorbed selectively destroys these parts of the skin.
Is the laser dangerous?
The laser penetrates skin to a maximum of about one millimetre, so it does not affect any deeper tissues. The only organ of the body which the laser can damage is the eye, and it is for this reason that eye protection is used.
What can I treat?
The copper bromide laser is really two lasers in one. It can emit yellow laser light (578 nm), or green light (511 nm). The yellow light can treat the following skin blemishes
- Facial telangiectasias (spider veins)
- Small spider veins in the legs (note that larger ones require sclerotherapy)
- Port wine stains (birth marks)
- Spider angiomas
- Venous lakes
The green light can treat the following skin blemishes
Whilst a combination of both colours can treat
- Solar kerataoses (sun spots)
- Seborrhoeic kerataoses (age spots)
- Other benign papules
Does the laser work the same for everyone?
Each person's response to vascular laser treatment is different. Factors affecting the response include the size of the vessels, their depth below the skin, and the colour of the skin. Laser light is unable to pass through darkly pigmented skin, sun-tanned, or fake-tanned skin. Veins on the legs do not respond to any laser, but are successfully treated with micro-sclerotherapy.
How can I have the treatment?
Firstly you come to our Aesthetic Surgery Clinic, so that we can assess whether the skin blemishes which you have are treatable by our vascular laser. If you do go ahead with the treatment, this is done at our clinic, where the laser is housed. Because the treatment is not painful, you do not require an anaesthetic; although we can give you one if the treatment is in a particularly sensitive area.
What do I look like after the treatment?
Immediately after the treatment, the area first looks greyish in colour, and then becomes a little red and swollen. Blistering occasionally occurs at the lasered area, or a fine scab may form, and fall off some days later. If you received green laser to lentigos, you may notice erythema (redness) for a few weeks (of upper limbs), or even a few months (lower part of the body). You should not sunbake for at least a month following the laser treatment.
What are the complications?
These are uncommon, because of the specific nature of the laser light. You must remember that the skin may be red and swollen for several days following the procedure, and that a scab may form. This is normal, and hence not a complication. Cold compresses, and the application of steroid cream may hasten their disappearance.
Rarely, the following may occur:
- Indentation of the skin, which is usually only temporary
- Increased colour of the skin (hyperpigmentation) may occur, and is more likely in dark skinned individuals. For this reason, they are often prescribed a depigmenting cream. Not sunbaking helps ensure that hyperpigmentation does not occur
- Decreased colour of the skin (hypopigmentation)
- Scarring is very rarely described following treatment with the copper bromide laser
Please note that this information is for illustrative purposes only. Always ask your Non-surgical aesthetic treatments Specialist first!
For more than two decades, The Aesthetic Surgery Centre has built a reputation as one of Sydney's best Cosmetic Surgery clinics, employing experienced doctors and surgeons and knowledgeable beauty specialists. From major cosmetic surgery operations to non-surgical treatments, our highly skilled team is always committed on delivering professional advice and personalised guidance. So, if you are looking for operations prices, cost and fees information or before & after cosmetic surgery pictures, contact us… or make an online enquiry today.