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Laser: A New RevolutionPosted Tuesday, September 11, 2007 to PROCEDURES > Skin Posted by The Original Anti-Aging & Cosmetic Surgery Magazine For a number of years people have turned to pulsed-dye lasers to treat vascular lesions such as spider veins. Now the new VBeam laser has dramatically reduced the recovery time reports Anita Catalano. Spider veins, scars and port wine stains can make many people feel self conscious about their appearance. In the past improving their appearance was an awkward process and many just decided to hide the area with wakeup or clothes. With the introduction of pulsed-dye laser techniques, thousands of people have been undergoing the relatively painless procedure. But the downside for many patients has been the bruising, sometimes requiring time off work. The introduction of the Vbeam laser from Candela Corporation has minimized this. The Vbeam laser has the capability to treat all vascular lesions such as facial spider veins, rosacea, scars and can be used in more advanced applications such as leg veins and debilitating port wine stains - with minimal or no bruising. Current vascular lasers produce very rapid heating of the blood that can cause damage to the vessel wall, blood leakage and subsequent bruising. The Vbeam laser produces a more gentle heating of the blood vessels, resulting in uniform coagulation and healing. The main difference with the Vbeam laser is that it uses a longer pulse duration, which Dr Roy Geronemus, associate professor of dermatology and chief of laser surgery at New York University Medical center, says causes virtually no bruising. According to Dr Geronemus, the Vbeam's longer pulses help confine injury to the blood vessel. "We did see some delayed purpura that occurred after 24 hours, but by and large that was a rare phenomenon. When it did occur, it was quick and limiting." (Purpura are small areas of bruising, a normal occurrence after vascular laser treatment. Dr Geronemus, who has been using pulsed dye lasers for facial veins since 1986, said the Vbeam was making a big improvement to the recovery time of his patients. "The extended pulse width of the Vbeam makes a huge difference - the pain is minimal," he said. "There is often no down time or recovery time necessary; there may be a little redness or slight bruising. The bruising always goes away and the chance of scarring is minimal." Dr Geronemus said there is nothing experimental about the new Vbeam laser as it is a modification of the pulsed dye laser technology. Laser treatment of broken veins works by utilizing light and energy. The laser targets oxy-hemoglobin in the blood, heating it to a degree where it damages the lining of the blood vessels so they won't carry blood anymore. The damaged vessel then scars down and disappears. What's unique about the Vbeam laser and sets it apart from other machines, is that it features a special cooling device which protects the skin and provides pain relief. A short spray of coolant is emitted onto the skin milliseconds before each laser pulse, minimizing bruising to the skin.The short burst of cryogen sprayed onto the skin reduces pain and enables the patient to receive more intense laser treatments during each session. Therefore, the number of visits required to obtain results can possibly be reduced. Dr Geronemus's claims have been supported by a number of leading doctors around the country, including Dr Steven Ugent, dermatologist and Assistant Professor at Boston University, who tested the new technology on 21 patients with facial spider veins. Comparing current vascular lasers with the new Vbeam laser, Dr Ugent discovered patients found the effects of the Vbeam laser less painful, and the majority also experienced no post-operative purpura. He also found the new treatment effective in removal of leg veins and port wine stains. "The disadvantage of the current vascular laser technology is that it causes bruising for 7-14 days," he said. "With the Vbeam laser there is virtually none. This is a significant advance in treatment for spider veins. One of the major areas to benefit from the new Vbeam laser is the treatment of leg veins. Leg veins, until recently, were mainly treated with injection sclerotherapy. But newer vascular lasers, such as the long pulsed dye laser have now become effective treatments for leg veins. Certain patients such as those who have leg veins resistant to sclerotherapy, or who cannot tolerate needle injections can receive vascular laser sessions. According to Dr Laura King, dermatologist in Los Altimos and Lakewood, California the pulsed dye lasers, and now the new Vbeam, were highly effective in treating vascular lesions and leg veins. "We chose the long pulsed dye laser as the first laser at our center because of the great variety of vascular lesions and leg veins that can be treated successfully," she said. VBeam: What it can treat
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