Caucasian female with very fair skin - Is my redness better suited for vbeam or bbl? (Photos)

Question

I am a 31 year-old Caucasian female with very fair skin. I received a laser resurface and treatment two years ago that left me with hyper pigmentation that I would like to resolve. Some slight textural changes as well. The skin where I received the treatment often times flushes and swells in the heat. There is often an accompanying burning sensation as well. I get red bumps in those areas that come and go within a week. Given these symptoms and my desire to resolve the redness, would Vbeam or BBL be a better course of action?

Raffy Karamanoukian, MD, FACS · Answer

Vbeam laser is an excellent modality for patients who have rosacea, blushing of the skin, facial and body telangiectasia, spider veins, redness, post surgical redness, and skin flushing. It is a safe procedure that can be used at varying depths to help treat micro blood vessels in the skin. We also use it in our office for facial skin inflammation, keloids, and hypertrophic scarring. It is an important part of scar therapy. Vbeam can be combined with chemical peels and other lasers, but experience with the treatment is essential. The Vbeam laser does not affect deeper tissue. Schedule a consultation with an expert in Vbeam and you will find it to be an excellent modality for many skin types. 
 
Best, 
Dr. Karamanoukian
Realself100 Surgeon

Erik Peterson, MD · Answer

Hi! Dr Peterson here - Thank you for sharing these details. Based on what you describe&mdash;persistent redness, flushing, swelling with heat, burning, and transient red bumps&mdash;it sounds like you may have developed a component of rosacea or post-inflammatory vascular reactivity in the area that was previously lasered. The accompanying hyperpigmentation and mild texture change are also consistent with post-laser sequelae.
For vascular symptoms (redness, flushing, and small red bumps), vascular-targeting lasers such as VBeam (pulsed dye laser) are usually more effective than BBL. VBeam specifically targets blood vessels, reduces background redness, and can improve flushing and post-laser vascular changes.
BBL (broadband light) can help with overall redness and pigment, but in cases where there is burning, flushing, and vascular reactivity, I would lean toward VBeam first, as it is more precise and tends to give more durable vessel reduction.
Both devices can help, but the best approach is often a stepwise plan: • VBeam for vascular reactivity and redness • Adjunctive topical regimen (anti-inflammatory rosacea therapies, pigment suppressors if needed) • Consider BBL or gentle pigment-targeting modalities later once vascular stability is improved
The most important next step would be a consultation with a board-certified cosmetic dermatologist or laser specialist who can evaluate your skin in person, confirm whether rosacea-like changes are present, and tailor the energy settings carefully given your prior sensitivity.

Caucasian female with very fair skin - Is my redness better suited for vbeam or bbl? (Photos)

Answers (2)

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