VBeam®

About VBeam®

The VBeam® is a pulsed dye laser, which means that the laser energy is delivered in pulses and a dye is used to generate laser beams of different colors. Since the VBeam® is used to treat dilated blood vessels, as in rosacea, it is often called a vascular laser. The target of the vascular laser is hemoglobin, the red protein in blood cells in the blood vessels. Skin cells that surround the dilated blood vessels are not damaged.

What is treatment like?

VBeam® is not painful enough to require anesthesia. The short pulses feel like cold and hot snaps on the skin. A stream of cold air directed at the treated area helps to minimize discomfort.

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Am I a good candidate?

If you have too much redness due to dilated blood vessels in your nose, cheeks, chin, or other parts of your face, you may benefit from treatment with the VBeam®. This includes, but is not limited to, the redness of rosacea. The VBeam® is also good for removing angiomas, small red clumps of blood vessels. Red birthmarks, called port wine stains, can be treated with the VBeam®, as can warts, scars, and bruises and sun damage on the neck and chest.

The VBeam® laser is not appropriate for pregnant women or patients who have taken Accutane for the past six months. Persons with a history of cold sores or herpes simplex virus should not have this procedure until they are pre-treated for these conditions.

What can I expect before and after the treatment?

The treated area will look redder and swollen for a few hours or, in unusual cases, up to several days. Bruising may occur when very large blood vessels, port wine stains, warts, or scars are being treated.

What Should I Look for in a Laser Practitioner?

The treatment should be performed by a registered nurse (RN) or physician who’s trained to operate a laser. Different treatment choices must be made for each patient. Side effects such as skin discoloration can result if the laser is operated by an inexperienced practitioner. At Kaiser Permanente, we provide only laser trained RNs or physicians to deliver high-quality care to our patients. 

Are there any risks?

Bruising is the most common side effect, and usually we know that is going to take place due to a very large vessel or a clump of many vessels and we can predict that in advance most of the time.  Scarring, infection, and blistering are very rare.

I’m Interested! What’s My Next Step?

Our Northern California aesthetic professionals look forward to working with you. Request your consultation to learn more about the VBeam® laser and other skincare options.

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