I had a laser procedure on a small broken capillary - some skin/scab flaked off, and the capillary is red again. (photos)

Question

I had a laser treatment on a small capillary near my mouth - immediately after the treatment, my doctor showed me my skin, and it was clear. Later that day, the spot appeared red. Fast forward 4 days, a small scab/flakey bit of skin came off when I was washing my face. Now the capillary spot appears red again. It looks almost like it has not been treated.. will it heal over time? Or does this indicate I need more sessions?

Jason Emer, MD · Answer

The best treatments to improve broken capillaries are vascular lasers such as pulsed dye laser and Excel V. I recommend getting a formal evaluation with a cosmetic dermatologist. Best, Dr. Emer

Douglas J. Fife, MD · Answer

Typically, most vascular treatments require more than 1 session, ranging anywhere from 1-3 sessions spaced out 6 weeks apart.

Eric T. Carniol, MD · Answer

It sounds like you may be quite early in the postoperative course. Laser therapy leaves the skin quite weakened as it continues to improve. It may need another few weeks/couple months to assess if you will need further treatments. It sounds like as well that you may have washed off a scab, leaving the exposed skin a little raw. Follow up with your provider to close the loop for what to expect after your treatment.

I had a laser procedure on a small broken capillary - some skin/scab flaked off, and the capillary is red again. (photos)

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I had a laser procedure on a small broken capillary - some skin/scab flaked off, and the capillary is red again. (photos)

Answers (3)

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