Venous Lakes – Treatment using Laser
A venous lake (also known as phlebectases) is typically a dark blue to violet papule up to a centimetre in size at its widest point. Venous lakes tend to be isolated, soft to the touch and are often found on sun-exposed surfaces at the border of the lip, face and ears. They are treated to improve the appearance of the area and occasionally to prevent bleeding. A range of therapies have been tried including cryotherapy, infrared coagulation and various types of lasers.
Clinical Trial into Using the Nd:YAG Laser to Treat Venous Lakes
Some venous lakes do not respond well to traditional vascular lasers. The Nd:YAG laser output at 1,064 nm is less well absorbed by hemoglobin but penetrates more deeply into tissue. A clinical study was conducted at the Royal Children’s Hospital in Melbourne, Australia, into the effectiveness of the long-pulsed Nd:YAG laser in the treatment of venous lakes. 35 adults with a venous lake were studied. The long-pulsed Nd:YAG was administered.
Results of Using the Nd:YAG Laser to Treat Venous Lakes
After one treatment, 94% of patients in the trial were cleared completely. The remaining 6% reported incomplete clearance. There were no reported complications. The clinical study concluded that:
“The long-pulsed Nd:YAG laser is highly effective treatment for venous lakes of the lip.”