What are Facial Vessels?
Facial vessels, also known as spider veins, are blood vessels that have dilated due to weak blood vessel walls. The weakened walls expand, allowing more blood to pool into the vein, making them more visible from the surface of the skin. When they are red they are known as telangiectasias, and when they are blue, they are known as reticular veins. Spider veins are generally smaller veins that often form on the cheeks, nose and chin. Reticular veins are larger, less common types of facial veins, often appearing on the temples and forehead.
Facial vessels typically form in people with lighter skin and become more common as people age, often due to excessive sun exposure, alcohol intake or genetic reasons.
What is vbeam?
Vbeam is a brand of pulsed-dye laser (PDL) and is often referred to as a vascular laser because it is excellent at treating issues related to the body’s network of blood vessels, such as broken capillaries, rosacea, port wine stains, spider veins, strawberry hemangiomas, and poikiloderma.
Vbeam uses a dye to generate different colors of laser beams, which are delivered in pulses. The color of light used is determined by the target. For example, a yellow light is specifically absorbed by blood vessels in the dermis, causing them to collapse without damaging surrounding skin cells. The collapsed vessels are then reabsorbed and eliminated by the body during the natural healing process.
Who is a good candidate for vbeam?
Vbeam works very well on pale skin and moderately well on olive skin. It isn’t used on darker skin tones because the transmission of the wavelength is blocked by melanin (pigment) in pigment-rich skin. Vbeam is safe and gentle enough to treat vascular abnormalities on infants.
What is the procedure for being treated with vbeam?
Your practitioner will ensure you are as comfortable as possible; most patients are reclined or lying down depending on the area being treated. Both the patient and the practitioner will be wearing protective eyewear. When treatment begins, the laser will be calibrated and parameters will be set based on the specific condition being treated. Each condition and each individual is unique, and these settings maximize the results you will see following treatment.
Does vbeam hurt?
Typically, there is mild to no discomfort associated with Vbeam. Protective eyewear is worn by both you and the provider during this treatment. The Vbeam has a built-in Integrated Dynamic Cooling Device that sprays a cold (cryogen) mist across the skin, eliminating any discomfort beyond a warm, tingling sensation while the doctor glides it across your skin.
Are there any special precautions I need to take before or after a vbeam treatment?
It is recommended to avoid sun exposure before and throughout treatment to maximize results. A sunscreen of SPF 30 or higher should be worn daily during this time. Post treatment care guidelines depend on the condition treated, and should be discussed with your practitioner.
What are the side effects of a vbeam treatment?
Some patients experience redness or mild swelling in the treated area immediately following treatment. This usually goes away in a few hours. Occasionally purpura, a laser bruise, may occur. Purpura is transient and usually disappears in three to five days.
How soon will I see results after my vbeam treatment?
Most patients notice beneficial results right away, and oftentimes feel a firming or tightening of the treated area. The results of laser therapy vary depending on the condition that is being treated and the number of treatments required for clearance.
Are the treatment results permanent?
Permanency of results depend on many factors, like the condition being treated or lifestyle of the patient. For example, if a patient has sunspots removed and continues to spend time in the sun without adequate skin protection, it is likely that the sunspots will return. Talk with your practitioner about your goals and expectations for treatment.
Is vbeam safe?
Yes. In fact, Vbeam is so safe, it has been successfully used since the 1980s for the treatment of port wine stain birthmarks in infants and young children. During treatment, the epidermis is protected by Candela’s exclusive dynamic cooling method, DCD, which sprays a cooling mist onto the targeted area of skin before each laser pulse, maximizing comfort and protecting the skin during treatment.