What Are Vascular Lasers?

Vascular laser treatments both have medical and cosmetic benefits. With the description of beauty becoming more increasingly defined to a specific standard, people nowadays are looking for procedures that can guarantee the best quality for their skin. Laser treatments have gained so much popularity over the past decades. They are often the procedure that most people opt for when it comes to skin rejuvenation and resurfacing. Since lasers have been proven to be one of the most effective tools in the field of technology, it’s not entirely surprising that new treatment procedures are utilizing the same innovation experts have relied on for years. 

Laser technology has come a long way from its early days. Today, skin treatment procedures that utilize lasers have become a staple in the cosmetic industry. In fact, about more than four million cosmetic laser treatments were performed in the year 2019 alone. With the plethora of laser treatments today, it’s not entirely surprising to hear about a new procedure that is trending. Since the skin is the largest organ in the human body, people nowadays are becoming more conscious about the state of their skin. Men and women alike are queuing to try new skin trends in the hopes that it can provide them the best results. 

Our Perception Towards the Skin

Unbeknownst to many, the state and condition of your skin are some of the factors that make a first impression. It can subconsciously allow another person to interpret your age and the state of your health. Since your mental and health condition can influence blood flow and circulation, your skin can also indicate the signs of your current well-being. In some cultures, having beautiful skin is also perceived to be an indication of prosperity. 

Skin image is said to play an important role in terms of social interplays. Having beautiful skin also boosts one’s confidence and self-worth. Social media has also played an integral role in terms of defining the standards of skin image. Nowadays, men and women alike feel more empowered to undergo beauty and cosmetic procedures with less or without any shame or judgment. 

In retrospect, this can be considered as the main reason why people nowadays pay more attention to skincare. In 2020, the skincare industry was estimated to be worth almost forty billion dollars and is continuing to grow. Finding the perfect skincare routine has been a goal among many people and skin treatments have only gained more traction in recent years. One of these popular procedures is vascular laser treatment. 

What Does a Vascular Laser Procedure Treat?

Vascular laser treatment is a common medical and cosmetic procedure that can treat vascular lesions. Commonly known as birthmarks, vascular lesions are considered as irregularities in the skin and the underlying tissues. There are several types of vascular lesions and those that mostly affect the skin can be treated by a vascular laser procedure.

Capillary Malformations - These types of vascular lesions are caused by capillaries that formed irregularly with smaller veins running underneath the deeper layers of the skin. They are also known as “port-wine stains” and typically appear as pinkish areas on the skin at birth. However, as a person gets older, it may change in texture and may cause overgrowth within the underlying bones and tissues. The best way to treat capillary malformations is through vascular laser treatment using a pulse-dye laser. It damages the hemoglobin formations within the lesions which helps closing down irregular vessels and eventually helps them fade away. 

Hemangiomas - Commonly found in children, hemangiomas occur when blood vessels clump together to form a benign or non-cancerous tumor on the skin. They are typically red or pinkish in appearance and may manifest after birth. Hemangiomas grow at a rapid rate and may enlarge or darken when left untreated. One of the best solutions is a vascular laser treatment which can help eliminate ulcerated lesions and discolorations.

Rosacea - Although not acquired at birth, rosacea can affect anyone. This condition typically causes the skin to look reddish with visible blood vessels on the surface of the skin. In some instances, it may also cause the skin to produce reddish bumps. Although rosacea may go away on its own, gels and creams may be used for treatment. For extreme cases, however, vascular lasers can be the most ideal choice of treatment. 

Types of Vascular Laser Treatments

With the development of technology, vascular lasers have developed in terms of variety and diversity of applications. Since laser technology is always evolving, tons of machines and devices that can cater to many types of skin conditions have been invented over recent years. 

Long-Pulse Alexandrite Laser - This type of vascular laser treatment utilizes a wavelength that allows a good level of absorption for both melanin and hemoglobin. This means that it’s considered an efficient vascular laser for more resistant and deeper lesions on the skin.

Pulse-Dye Lasers (PDL) - An efficient vascular laser treatment for common vascular lesions, it’s considered as the best treatment for port-wine stains. This type of laser allows the operator to control the pulse durations depending on the vascular lesion and also the patient’s preferences.

Diode Laser - A vascular laser treatment that utilizes a diode laser is known for having an efficient light source that is delivered through fiber optics. Diode lasers can also be controlled with varying wavelengths. They are known to be effective for laser hair removals but are also efficient when it comes to deep vascular lesions.

Potassium Titanyl Phosphate (KTP) - This type of vascular laser targets irregular formations of vessels without rupturing them. It is also portable and much smaller compared to other devices making it more convenient for doctors to carry around. However, the wavelength that KTP lasers utilize causes significant absorption for people with more melanin or darker skin tones. 

Intense Pulse Light (IPL) - This type of vascular laser treatment uses a xenon flashlamp which is typically surrounded by water. New and improved IPL lasers nowadays are very versatile and can treat both pigmented and vascular lesions. It also has a large laser spot size which helps with extensive lesions. 

Combined Laser Treatments - Developments in technology have lead to various breakthroughs in laser innovation. This includes several combinations of vascular laser treatments that can cater to different types of vascular skin lesions.