BROKEN BLOOD VESSEL/ EXCEL V
Aging, certain medical conditions, exposure to UV rays, and harsh weather can all be causes of unsightly spider veins and brown spots on the skin. Dr. Downie offers her patients individualized treatment planning that includes the latest technologies when appropriate. One of the innovative devices used at image Dermatology ® P.C. in Montclair is Excel V Laser.
EXCEL V FOR BLOOD VESSELS, BROWN SPOTS, AND OTHER PROBLEMS
The Excel V from Cutera has been developed to gently and effectively treat a wide range of vascular conditions. During treatment sessions, visible vessels in the dermis absorb light from the high-powered green laser, leading to coagulation and absorption in the body. The longer wavelength of the Excel V is what allows it to treat tiny veins around the eyes, nose, cheeks and the entire face. Additionally, it treats spider veins on the legs, and even deeper vascular structures. The dermis is also heated during treatment, leading to increased production of collagen, which improves skin tone and texture. Patient comfort has been addressed, as well, in this device, which provides cooling before and after pulses of light.
There are various vascular conditions that can be treated with Excel V. These include:
- Lentigos, or sun freckles are effectively treated all over the face and body.
- Leg veins, also called telangiectasias or spider veins. These dilated blood vessels develop when the flow is insufficient to adequately push all blood out of a vein.
- Facial veins do not pose a medical issue, but can negatively affect a person’s sense of confidence. Excel V addresses areas including the cheeks, chin, and around the eyes.
- Rosacea is a chronic condition that may sometimes lead to diffuse redness and irritation that looks a lot like acne. The overall redness from rosacea is actually a collective of very small blood vessels. Treating these vessels with Excel V laser therapy reduces redness and irritation.
- Port wine stains are a type of vascular birthmark that can appear anywhere on the body. These spots may be pink, red, or dark purple, posing a cosmetic problem if located in a visible area.
- Excel V can also treat sun damage and reduce the appearance of large pores, fine lines and wrinkles, and improve the texture of skin.
- Of note, the Excel V laser can also be used for gentle and effective laser hair removal. It also helps with eradication of hair bumps or razor bumps.
WHAT TO EXPECT FROM EXCEL V TREATMENT
This in-office treatment is applied to clean, makeup-free skin. The laser energy is gentle enough that patients tolerate treatment quite well without topical anesthetic. In fact, many people look forward to their Excel V treatment for its spa-like luxuriousness. During treatment, the skin may feel warmed as the laser is moved across the treatment area. As light pulses against the skin, a slight sting may be felt. The device does come incontact with the skin.
Following treatment in our Montclair dermatology office, patients may resume their normal activities right away. The most important follow-up to treatment is sun protection. We advise our patients to wear protective clothing and apply broad-spectrum sunscreen with at least an spf 30 and above daily.
RISKS OF EXCEL V TREATMENT
Very few patients report experiencing side effects from this gentle laser treatment. Broken blood vessels heal very quickly after and the patients skin is slightly red for a very short period of time. The most common side effects include mild swelling and redness or bruising, which lasts only a short time. When treating sun freckles, the spots turn purple, then gray and then fade away. Sun freckles take four to seven days to heal post treatment.
COMMON QUESTIONS
Every patient is different, with unique needs and his or her own response to laser energy. The number of treatments recommended will be based upon factors such as the size and thickness of the skin in the treatment area, the number of blood vessels, and the color of the skin. Patients with mild, superficial vascular lesions may experience wonderful results after just three treatments. Those with more diffuse redness or darker discoloration will require more treatments, many people must undergo a minimum of six treatment sessions. Maintenance laser sessions are suggested once or twice a year after.
Most patients can easily tolerate the mild stinging and warming sensations of laser treatment. However, some patients do opt for the application of topical anesthetic to ensure total comfort. We are happy to oblige. Patient comfort is our priority!
One of the primary aspects of dermatologic care is the ability to formulate treatment to each patient. With Excel V, adjustments can be made to ensure the level of treatment provided is appropriate for the patient’s condition. There are various wavelength modes within the Excel V device, which allows us to adjust for superficial veins or deep vascular conditions like port wine stains. The device also allows us to target very small areas, as well as larger areas so that treatment is not extended unnecessarily.
The appearance of skin is indicative of health and vitality. Engaging in life is something that we all deserve to do without reservation, feeling fully confident in our appearance. If you suffer from the effects of vascular conditions like rosacea or spider veins, we have solutions that will get you back into full swing. Contact us in Montclair today to explore your options for treatment with personalized dermatological care.
RELATED VIDEOS
Treating broken blood vessels with no downtime
Good morning, and happy Friday, I’m here with one of my lovely patients who does not want to be identified who’s agreed to let me do the lower half of her face and put it on my Instagram and my website talking about treating broken blood vessels. So here’s the deal: Rosacea, broken blood vessels, telangiectasias, redness of the face, whatever you want to say, affects males, females of all races. People don’t like it. As we get older, with more sun damage, and depending on our family history, it can get worse. I, although I’m browner than the patient I’m about to show you, have also lasered myself because I don’t like my broken blood vessels in here, and nobody these days wants to wear a pound of makeup with the selfie generation and everybody taking pictures of themselves. People just want to look their best. So this is a light la-ser that has no downtime, where you put it over the face with gel, and it takes multiple treatment sessions, but you’re basically ablating the broken blood vessels. You must deal with an SPF 30 sunblock every single day, rain or shine, January through December while you’re doing the treatment. And then there’s intermittent treatments that we’ll do after the 6-8 treatment sessions to make sure that people are fully covered because as we get older we can get more broken blood vessels. So this a chronic condition, but we can really make people look their best. So please watch and enjoy.
