Advice needed on PDL/Vbeam and side effects
Joined: 09 Nov 2007
| Posted: Mon Feb 11, 2008 10:21 am Post subject: Advice needed on PDL/Vbeam and side effects | |
| Hi,
I am hoping for some much needed advice on PDL and VBeam. I have been treated with IPL for rosacea many times over the years and had great success. This has not been easy though as I also have melasma and the risk of burning is increased. The energy only has to be slightly high and if I graze, the area will likely pigment. I was able to fade the melasma a great deal, ( and thus have therapeutic energies for redness and flushing), Over some months the melasma has increased due to various reasons and numerous visible vessels amid red patches have grown in these areas. A couple of these have become quite unpleasant visibly, and also, they are prone to oubreaks of pustules, along with burning redness. We can't turn the IPL energy up any more, because I would burn, but at the current settings, the veins just get ticked off, but refuse to disappear. My IPL doctor suggested I try the PDL at another clinic, but I am filled with concerns after reading various side effects some people have. I am afraid of burning. A burn or a blister would cause bad hyper-pigmentation in me. Some people talk of crusting. Is that the same as burning? Some people talk about brown stains/streaks. Do they mean the colour change of bruises as they fade, or do they mean they have developed an increase in skin pigment? ( which might fade in some people, but not in me). What is the difference between PDL and VBeam? I mentioned Vbeam to the doc at another clinic and she said, it was the same as the PDL she has but simply another brand name. She compared this to different brands of washing detergents. I pointed out that some detergents are better than others, but she didn't see my point. Does the Vbeam have a reputation for less chances of side effects? Also, I have not completed my IPL sessions yet. I had a terrible, TERRIBLE flare up over the last couple of months, ( due to various reasons) and it is only after 4 treatments, that I am mostly pain free. Much less flushing and minimal if any, burning. (My worse symptom ( a new one for me) is nose flushing and swelling. It drives me crazy. Any suggestions for this particular symptom?) Some people have mentioned the increased redness etc, following PDL, so if I decide to have this, should I have it amid my IPL treatments, so I can tidy things up? Or should I wait till afterwards? Also, I am very concerned about the reported circular pale patches, post PDL. Having had lots of IPL, I know pretty much what to expect, but PDL is foreign territory to me. It is bad enough having rosacea and melasma ( both visually depressing), and now I have markedly defined brown/red/vessel patches in the shapes of the letters 'L' and 'Y'. I don't want to add any 'O's, due to PDL. I will be turning into a walking alphabet, like a flashing neon sign. I never thought I would regress to such a bad state again and it is rather distressing. Sorry for the rambling questions. Any advice and imputs of experience would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!  |
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Forum Moderator
Joined: 08 Jan 2007
Location: new york
| Posted: Mon Feb 11, 2008 2:04 pm Post subject: | |
| Hi Mistica,
I understand all of your concerns. Laser and IPL can be scary because there is always the risk of something going awry. There is no 100% guarantee for sure. Having said that, I do recommend VBeam. PDL I believe is an older type of VBeam and the one that could leave circular whitish patches due to uneven clearance. The newer types of VBeam don't do that. I have been getting the Perfecta VBeam and so far, no bad side effects. I have had 5 VBeam treatments in 2007. They did help considerably with my flushing and burning but not 100% and the effects do fade. But it allowed me to get my flushing and burning to a manageable level and I am grateful for that. Finding a doctor who has a experience with the VBeam is just as important as the type of VBeam (or any laser and IPL). So, once you locate someone who is good I highly recommend the VBeam. From what I understand it is less likely to cause blistering and such as it targets the 595 nm wavelength which is at the blood vessel level and not the skin. My face gets red and swollen and the swelling goes down after a few days (for me, everyone is different) and the redness lasts a few weeks. I always take the week off from work. There is non-purpuric VBeam (the only type I have had) and the purpuric VBeam which is the bruising type. Many people report that the purpuric VBeam is more helpful in getting rid of their symptoms but after much reading about it I am now hesitant to consider that unless my derm felt it to be absolutely safe (well, as safe as we can get with these procedures anyway). Best of luck and let us know how you get on. I would recommend waiting enough time in b/w treatments to let your skin heal. I always wait 3 months or so. Best wishes, Melissa |
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