What are vascular lesions?
A lesion is a non specific term referring to abnormal tissue in the body. It can be caused by any disease process including trauma (physical, chemical, electrical), infection, neoplasm, metabolic and autoimmune. Vascular is an adjective for the word vessel and refers to tube-like structures and means "related to blood vessels".
.jpg)
How does removal of vascular lesions with laser work?The light beam goes into the skin and is absorbed by the haemoglobin of the blood. this means the blood is strongly warmed. This leads to an inflammation of the inner wall of the vessel and thus generates gluten - the result is the occlusion of the vessel, which takes some time dependent on size of the vessel (it takes more time for larger vessels, up to some months for the deep bluish ones).
Each laser beam has a certain colour (wavelength). For small ecstatic vessels, which are normally red and superficial, the green laser beam is particularly suitable, because the green is strongly absorbed by blood. In the other side the water absorption is very low. Since the normal skin consists mainly of water, the bloodless skin keeps almost cold and so there is a very minimal risk of damaging the skin surrounding the vessel.
For larger and deeper vessels (bluish) the infrared laser beam is more effective because this light penetrates deeper.
How will the treatment take course?For larger bluish vessels at the legs (to be treated with infrared laser beam) first the skin has to be cooled. This pre-cooling is not recommended for small red vessels, because they contract under cooling - the blood is gone and so there is no absorption, that means no effect.
The doctors scans the affected skin areas with the laser beam. You will feel little pricks, which indicate the efficacy of the therapy. As a rule, anaesthesia is not necessary. The duration of the treatment depends on the size of the skin lesion; in most cases, it takes only a few minutes.
Dependent on size of the lesion there is more or less redness and swelling after treatment. In some cases the developing of small crusts is possible - these should not be manipulated.
In most cases you will get the results after a single treatment, which is performed after a thorough examination and consultation by your doctor.
Lower extremity anaesthesia and some other indications are more difficult to treat dependent on the individual situation of the patient. The interval for a second or third treatment should be at least 6 weeks.
What needs to be considered before the treatment?Ø The skin must not be tanned, especially for treatment with green light.
Ø Inform your doctor about any medication (also non-prescriptive).
Ø The skin has to be clean and free of make up and other cosmetics.
Ø If necessary the area has to be shaved carefully.
What needs to be considered after the treatment?Ø Cool the treated skin as long as it is comfortable to you.
Ø If crusts built up, do not manipulate them.
Ø Protect treated areas against sun light or intensive light (solarium) for some month.
Ø Use suntan cream (20-50) if you stay outside longer.
Ø Avoid activity that causes skin to flush like alcohol, spicy food or others.
Ø If skin changes should occur, that are not named above, contact your doctor immediately
What complications may occur?No medical treatment is totally free of risks. As a rule this laser treatment has minimal complications:
Ø Transient pigment changes (light or brown spots) in the treated area are possible for some weeks or month.
Ø Small scars are very rarely.