subject: Port Wine Skin Stains And Laser Technology - New Advances [print this page] Clinicians have recently discovered a new application of the Candela Gentlelase, in treating port wine stains. 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 wine stain treatment makes treating port wine stain removal much easier for sufferers. We explore the new development here!
What Are Port Wine Stains?
Port wine stains 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?
Port wine 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 port wine stains than with other types of laser machine procedures, especially when a pulsed dye laser is used.
Ordinary treatment of port wine stains can have some side effects. If any normal skin is affected by the laser, blisters develop - this means that port wine 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 wine 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 Wine 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 wine 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.
