Laser center near Mulhouse located in Saint-Louis: treatment of vascular lesions
The Mulhouse/Saint-Louis laser center offers medical solutions to treat angiomas such as planar or stellate angiomas in adults and adolescents, venous lakes, ruby spots or angiokeratoma of the testicles. The Biolaser Medical Center has quality equipment for the treatment of these vascular abnormalities.
In the heart of Saint-Louis, and close to Mulhouse and Basel, the laser center is easily accessible.
ANGIOMAS – RUBY SPOTS – VENOUS LAKE
An angioma is a benign skin condition characterized by abnormal growth of blood vessels. It is a vascular formation that can appear at birth ( congenital angioma) or develop later in life ( acquired angioma).
There are several types of angiomas: stellate angiomas, ruby spots, flat angiomas and venous lakes of various origins.
- Planar angiomas or “port wine stains” present as a spot ranging from pale pink to dark red “wine lees”
- These are congenital vascular malformations that affect about 0.5% of births of varying size and shape.
- The lesions are flat without relief and disappear more or less completely under pressure, without breathing, quivering or beating and having the same temperature as normal skin.
- The flat angioma can be responsible for aesthetic damage with psychological repercussions when it is extended and/or sits on uncovered areas.
- Planar angiomas persist without a tendency to disappear spontaneously and their surface area increases in proportion to the child’s growth.
- In adults, the port wine stains gradually become darker and thicker, due to the gradual increase in the number and size of the capillaries over time.
- Stellar angiomas are frequent and benign vascular lesions of no pathological significance, seen at any age and particularly during pregnancy(they often disappear after childbirth).
- These are vascular ectasias (arteriolar dilatation) arranged in a star shape centered by a capillary from which a tree of radial telangiectasias starts. The largest ones sometimes have a pulsatile character.
- Vitropressure causes the peripheral trees to disappear while the central point persists. The stellate angioma then recolors from the center.
- They preferentially affect the face (lips, nose, cheeks) and extremities (forearms, backs of the hands and fingers).
- Treatment with vascular laser or IPL are the therapeutic methods used, but recurrences are possible.
- Ruby spots are also very common and commonplace on the skin after the age of 40-50.
- These are vascular ectasias (dilatations) appearing late, without pathological significance, the origin of which is unknown.
- Ruby spots are small punctiform growths of a few millimeters, bright red, flat or protruding, often on the covered areas (trunk).
- Vascular laser or IPL treatment is possible for aesthetic purposes.
- The venous lake, or venous angioma, is a benign lesion often present on the lips, characterized by a bluish coloration due to the dilation of small blood vessels. Although usually painless, it can be unsightly and cause cosmetic concerns. In our aesthetic medicine center in Saint-Louis, near Mulhouse and Basel, we offer advanced solutions to effectively treat this condition.
- These are frequent and benign vascular lesions (dilatations) appearing late, with no pathological significance,
- Venous lakes of the lips are common after the age of 60 and the origin is unknown.
- The treatment of choice for venous lake is often the Nd:YAG vascular laser, known for its ability to specifically target dilated blood vessels without damaging the surrounding skin. The Nd:YAG laser emits light that is absorbed by the hemoglobin in the vessels, causing them to clot and gradually disappear. This treatment is fast, generally well tolerated, and requires little recovery time.
Angiokeratomas of the scrotum are benign skin lesions, manifesting as small reddish-purplish elevations, which most often appear after the age of 30 . They are usually localized on the skin of the scrotum, although more rarely, they can develop on the skin of the penis or glans. These lesions are most often harmless and usually do not cause any symptoms, and they are not associated with poor hygiene or sexually transmitted diseases. The exact cause of angiokeratomas is not completely understood, but they are not contagious.
Although these lesions are benign, some people choose to have them removed for cosmetic reasons or because of bothersome symptoms. Treatment options for angiokeratomas of the scrotum typically include:
- Laser treatment : Laser removal is a common method of removing angiokeratomas from the scrotum. A targeted laser is used to destroy the abnormal blood vessels, which helps to reduce or eliminate the lesion.
- Electrodesiccation : This method involves the use of a heated electrode to burn and destroy the affected tissue. It is an effective option for angiokeratoma removal.
- Cryotherapy : Cryotherapy involves freezing lesions using liquid nitrogen, which results in their destruction. It is a less invasive treatment option.
Lasers used for the treatment of angiomas at the BIOLASER center in Mulhouse/Saint-Louis
To effectively treat vascular lesions, the center has the best technological innovations in laser and pulsed light (IPL). Vascular laser or pulsed light treatment is recognized as the safest and most effective treatment for planar and stellate angiomas, ruby spots, and venous lakes.
These two lasers destroy abnormal vessels by photocoagulation by targeting the hemoglobin of dilated vessels very precisely.
This treatment allows you to act precisely without leaving scars or damaging the surrounding skin.
The course of an angioma treatment session in Mulhouse/Saint-Louis
- Do not apply any make-up or cosmetic products to the area to be treated before the session.
- The area to be treated should not be tanned.
- Protective glasses must be worn during the session to protect the eyes of the professional and the patient from the intensity of light.
- In post-treatment, the doctor will suggest a cream with soothing and healing properties. It is essential not to expose the treated area to the sun: the application of effective sun protection is essential.
Stellate angiomas/ruby spots/venous lakes:
- The treatment most often consists of one or a few sessions of about fifteen minutes spaced 4 to 6 weeks. On average, 2 sessions of laser or pulsed light are enough to erase these lesions.
- The treatment is done with a “pen” type handpiece.
- During the laser shot, the patient feels, depending on the power used, a tingling or a very short burning sensation that is quite bearable.
- No anesthesia is required.
- A moisturizer is applied to the skin at the end of the session.
Flat angiomas:
- It is a long treatment that requires several sessions (passages).
- The first session consists, after taking photographic images of the angioma, in a test session to evaluate the response to the laser on a small area. The result of this test session will be appreciated after 8 to 12 weeks.
- It is not possible to predict the total number of visits required (which can sometimes exceed 10). The angioma thins out gradually but rarely results in its complete disappearance, especially if the angioma is thick.
- The treatment should be started as soon as possible because the surface to be treated will be smaller and the thickness of the skin reduced.
- Contact anesthesia by anesthetic cream (EMLA ®) applied under an occlusive dressing two hours before the session.
Follow-up and care to follow after vascular laser or IPL treatment in Mulhouse/Saint-Louis
Immediate follow-up:
Stellate angiomas/ruby spots/venous lakes:
- The skin may have redness or slight swelling. These effects wear off very quickly.
- The appearance of scabs from the second day is possible. It is necessary to wait for them to fall off by moisturizing them and not to scratch them in order to avoid residual scars.
Flat angiomas:
They are marked, on the treated area, by a purplish colouring (purpura) that regresses after about ten days. He may be associated with it:
- Swelling (edema) that can last 2 to 3 days and is more severe in the periocular regions.
- Small, thin scabs that disappear spontaneously in a few days and should not be torn off.
- A few transient blisters (blisters or bubbles) may occasionally be observed.
Post-session care:
- Local treatments by spraying thermal water and soothing cream will be done for 4 to 5 days.
- Camouflage make-up is allowed immediately after the session.
- Sun protection with a total sunscreen is essential in the aftermath of the treatment.
Possible risks:
At a distance from treatment, there is a low risk of sequelae. This risk is increased if many passages have taken place in the same area:
- Hypopigmentation, i.e. skin that is a little whiter than normal. These white spots fade spontaneously over time.
- Hyperpigmentation, i.e. dark spots that disappear within a few months. This hyperpigmentation, which is more common on dark skin, is favoured by sun exposure.
- Other types of scars have been described (atrophic, sclerotic, hypertrophic) but they have become exceptional with current techniques.
Good and bad indications for vascular laser treatment
Stellate angiomas/ruby spots/venous lakes:
Wrong indications:
- Ongoing infection of the area to be treated.
- Tanned skin.
- Phototypes V and VI.
- As with any laser treatment, pregnancy is a contraindication in principle.
Flat angiomas:
• Angiome plan sur zone découverte peu étendu.
• Age de début de traitement : nourrisson ou petite enfance
• Angiome plan chez un patient à peau très pigmentée.
• Angiome plan du milieu du visage.
• Angiome plan très pâle.
• Les hémangiomes ou “fraises” : correspondent à des lésions rouges ou violacées en relief apparaissant dans les premières semaines de vie. Ces hémangiomes disparaissent totalement et spontanément dans la plupart des cas.
