LASER REMOVAL OF HEMANGIOMAS
Hemangiomas are skin lesions that are caused by the dilation of blood vessels. They are usually benign and do not require treatment, but there is nothing to stop you from getting rid of them, if only for aesthetic reasons. One of the most effective ways to remove a hemangioma is laser surgery.
Types of hemangioma:
1. Infantile hemangioma
Hemangiomas that appear shortly after birth are benign vascular lesions that stop growing on their own over time. Vascular birthmarks most often appear on the face, but they can also develop on any area of the skin. They usually grow quite quickly in the first 3 months of a child's life and begin to disappear after the age of 10. Sometimes an infantile hemangioma remains on the skin into adulthood.
Infantile hemangioma includes:
- Strawberry nevus - a soft, raised, vascular swelling on the skin with a bright red surface resembling a strawberry. It can appear on any area of the skin, but is most common (60%) on the face and neck.
- Salmon spot - a flat, dull red spot that can occur on the eyelids, bridge of the nose, upper lip and on the back of the neck.
- Red wine spot - a pink or red, flat spot that develops on the face and neck, less often on the trunk and limbs. Later in life, red wine spots may become raised or lumpy and take on a deeper red or purple color. The raised areas may bleed easily if scratched.
2. Star hemangioma
Star hemangioma takes the form of numerous, small, red nodules with radiating capillaries. It most often occurs on the face, upper chest, back and arms. In children, it often also occurs on the back of the hand. Star hemangioma usually affects women and children, very rarely men. It does not cause pain or health hazards. It can be a major aesthetic problem and therefore cause psychological discomfort.
3. Angiogranuloma
Angiogranuloma appears on the face, hands, fingers and oral mucosa. It takes the form of a bluish-red, single nodule with an irregular surface with a tendency to bleed and ulcerate. It is characterized by rapid growth. Angiogranuloma affects both adults and children, and often appears in pregnant women. It does not cause pain, but can be an aesthetic problem.
4. Cherry hemangioma
Cherry hemangioma can develop on any part of the body, but most often appears on the scalp, face, lips and torso. It develops on the skin as a firm lump in red, blue or purple. It most often appears in older people.
Children's hemangiomas:
Children's hemangiomas can appear both right after birth and in the first few weeks of life. Initially, they look like a small and flat mole, which is most often located on the face, scalp or back of the neck, and sometimes also around the legs and arms. What's more, hemangiomas take on a bright red color because they are located close to the surface of the skin.
Over time, the small mole gradually changes into a spongy mass that quickly grows above the skin surface, reaching up to 6 cm in diameter. After this stage, the hemangioma stops growing and remains dormant for some time. Then, it can gradually disappear or remain permanently on the child's skin as a skin discoloration. Fortunately, there is a possibility of laser removal of the lesion at the Bellazone Clinic.
Liquidation of hemangioma
To treat hemangioma, we use the Nd: YAG neodymium-YAG laser from Fotona Spectro SP with a light wavelength of 1064 nm. This is the deepest penetrating laser beam available on the world market, thanks to which it can destroy large-diameter vessels deeply hidden under the skin. At the same time, thanks to its homogeneous penetration, it has a very wide range of applications and minimizes the risk of tissue damage. The Fotona Spectro SP laser is the fastest and safest laser on the market thanks to its highest power and advanced safety systems.
How does the laser work?
The principle of operation of the Fotona laser is based on the process of photothermolysis. During the therapy, the emitted light energy is absorbed by the blood pigment (hemoglobin) and then converted into heat. Due to the high temperature, the water in the tissue is evaporated, while the vessels are absorbed and coagulated, and at a later stage they are absorbed by the body. The Fotona Nd:Yag laser beam penetrates deeply into the tissue, effectively delivering its energy to both large and small blood vessels. The long, variable, square pulse of the Fotona Nd:Yag laser is most effective in treating larger, deeper vessels, and is also extremely effective in treating small, shallow lesions. The Fotona Spectro Sp Nd:Yag 1064 nm laser is the best wavelength of light for this type of treatment. Immediately after the treatment, the skin of the given area may be slightly red. However, the effect of the vessels being absorbed is very fast. Additionally, the Zimmer Cryo 6 spot cooling system is used during the procedure to reduce heat discomfort (cooling temperature approx. -35°C).
Contraindications to laser therapy:
- Pregnancy
- Diabetes
- Pacemaker
- Bleeding disorders
- Epilepsy
- Some skin diseases (rosacea, vitiligo, psoriasis, allergic changes), if skin changes are exposed to direct laser rays
- Sunburn (too much accumulated melanin absorbs a large dose of energy, which can cause skin discoloration). Do not sunbathe (sun, solarium) for 4 weeks before and 4 weeks after the procedure
- Tendency to discoloration
- Active viral or bacterial changes on the skin
- Use of certain medications:
- Drugs that reduce blood clotting; anticoagulants, e.g. aspirin
- Steroids
- Photosensitizing medications: some antibiotics, e.g. tetracycline, doxycycline, vitamin A derivatives, some cardiology medications and others, e.g. furagin
- Use of certain herbs: calendula, St. John's wort
- Use of creams with retinol
Recommendations for the patient before the laser hemangioma closure procedure:
- Do not sunbathe (sun, solarium) for 4 weeks before the procedure
- Do not use skin exfoliating treatments (peeling) for a week before the procedure
- If you are using medications: anticoagulants, steroids, photosensitizing drugs, you should stop taking them (if possible) 7 days before the procedure, and then you can use them again 14 days after the procedure
- Shave your skin with a razor 1 day before the procedure, do not wax, chemically depilate or pluck hair with tweezers beforehand
- Do not drink alcohol on the day of the procedure
- The procedure is performed on clean skin (wash off any cosmetics before the procedure)
For a few days after the procedure:
- Do not use soap, spirit, alcohol-based tonics
- Do not perform peelings or other treatments
- Do not wipe the areas after the procedure with a sponge or towel
- Do not irritate the skin in the area of the procedure
How many treatments are needed:
One treatment usually does not completely eliminate the vascular problem. Based on our observations, the best effects usually appear after a series of about 3 treatments, performed at intervals of 4-6 weeks.
Innovativeness of the Nd:YAG and Er:YAG Fotona Spectro SP lasers:
This laser has been equipped with a number of innovative solutions such as EFC (pulse feedback control) - a system that provides a previously unavailable degree of control over the energy of the laser beam pulse. Thanks to each calibration of the device, the laser always delivers a beam with precisely defined parameters, which increases the safety and effectiveness of the treatment. Another innovative feature of Fotona Spectro SP lasers is the VSP system (variable square pulse - a patent-protected solution) that allows for the generation of a pulse with given parameters with a negligible rise and fall time of the pulse energy. This increases the efficiency of the laser beam, while improving the effectiveness and speed of treatment compared to other devices.
The safety of the Fotona Spectro SP system is:
- EFC (pulse feedback control)
Thanks to this system, we avoid a drop in laser power during the procedure, which could lead to weaker or incomplete effects. We also do not have to worry about energy spikes that can cause tissue damage. - VSP (variable square pulse)
Unlike other systems, where there is a sudden energy spike and then a slow drop, in the Fotona Spectro SP system the distribution of pulse energy is even. This protects us from overheating and burning tissues. At the same time, the effectiveness and safety of the procedures are radically improved.
The effectiveness of the Fotona Spectro SP system is:
The neodymium-Jag laser with a wavelength of 1064 nm is the deepest penetrating laser beam available on the market, thanks to which it can destroy large-diameter vessels deeply hidden under the skin. At the same time, thanks to homogeneous penetration, it has a very wide range of applications and minimizes the risk of tissue damage. High power in the quasi-continuous pulse mode is 30 W. The competition does not even come close to Siudo this result. Thanks to this, treatments performed with the Fotona Spectro SP system are much faster and more effective. With this laser system, you can meet all the needs of patients, achieving great clinical results and unprecedented gentleness.