If you are of Scandinavian, Scottish or Irish descent, you may be prone to facial redness. This diffuse redness can be exacerbated by heat or by eating spicy foods. For some, rosy red cheeks are a cosmetic nuisance.
Overall redness, or flushing, is caused by dilated capillaries, and sometimes by small well-defined vessels. Diffuse redness usually shows on the cheeks, nose, and forehead. This condition can be treated quite effectively with laser. At Changes Plastic Surgery & Spa, we incorporate two types of laser for the best result.
Laser Genesis (Cutera ®) is one of the lasers used at Changes Plastic Surgery & Spa to safely and effectively treat facial redness. The green laser light of the Genesis treatment is drawn to blood trapped in the capillaries, targeting and destroying the tiny vessels. Patients often describe the treatment as relaxing and therapeutic with a sensation of warmth.
Figure 1
Sometimes, pencil-thin, but discernible vessels are seen along with the overall redness. For these obvious broken blood vessels, we employ the KTP laser.
The KTP (potassium titanyl phosphate) Laser (Figure 1) is also a green laser. It differs from the Laser Genesis in that instead of a broad treatment tip, the KTP laser has a very narrow and precise laser beam which is less than a millimeter wide. Distinct facial vessels are easily targeted by tracing along the top of the vessel.
KTP is easily tolerated and one or two sessions are usually effective, whereas Laser Genesis usually requires several sessions to adequately fade facial redness. With both Laser Genesis and KTP, you can immediately return to your normal activities.
Before and After KTP
Take the green light to stop facial redness. Get a consultation at Changes Plastic Surgery & Spa. Changes is home to triple board-certified plastic surgeon Gilbert Lee, M.D. in San Diego.
Copyright 2015 Jill Darrah for Changes Plastic Surgery & Spa
