Sunday, December 15, 2013

Port Wine Skin Stains and Laser Technology - New Advances

Clinicians have recently discovered a new application of the Candela Gentlelase, in treating port. These large, raised birthmarks often occur on the face and cause hardship, especially for younger people. This discovery that the Gentlelase can be used for port treatment makes treating port wine stain removal much easier for sufferers. We explore the new development here!

What Are Port Wine?

Port wine are actually quite a common type of birthmark; they occur in around 0.3% to 0.5% of the entire population. If port wine stain birthmarks are not removed until around a person's 30s or 40s, they become nodulated or bumpy. Scientists aren't sure exactly why they form, but some research suggests that there may be a disturbance in the enervation of the blood vessels in the local area. Since they commonly occur on the face, there has been quite a lot of research into their safe removal.

How Are Port Wine Stains Usually Treated?

stains are usually treated with a pulsed dye laser, a laser machine that is able to produce incredibly short, very intense bursts of laser energy. Because of the intensity of the laser, there is a much longer recovery period associated with treating wine stains than with other types of laser machine procedures, especially when a pulsed dye laser is used.

Ordinary treatment of port wine can have some side effects. If any normal skin is affected by the laser, blisters develop - this means that port stain removal with a pulsed dye laser is not suitable for beginning clinicians. The area usually experiences significant swelling, and has a sunburnt feeling for some days.

The Difference Between Flat and Thick Vascular Lesions

Flat lesions are much easier to treat with a laser, as it is mostly a colour improvement that needs to occur. Port stains usually start out flat and pinkish, and gradually thicken and can become nodulated in adulthood.

If they are left untreated, they can start bleeding, or cause loss of function when they are located near a patient's eye, nose or ear.

Improved Port Stain Removal Techniques

Dr Christine Dierickx has actually treated port wine stains with nodules with a Gentlelase (Candela brand laser machine), with better results than a pulsed dye laser. The Gentlelase has a high hemoglobin absorption coefficient and a longer wavelength, which has proven to be ideal for port wine stain removal. Some of the features of the Gentlelase that make it superior to pulsed dye laser for port stains include:

Speed and ease of treatment is greatly improved

Gentlelase can treat larger spots, with a faster repetition rate

The attached dynamic cooling device increase patient comfort substantially

Given the Gentlelase's much wider range of applications (including laser hair removal, melasma, caf?-au lait, sun and age spots, wrinkle reduction and skin tightening and facial veins), it is likely that the Gentlelase will actually become the preferred method of treatment for port wine stains in the future.








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