ANGIOMAS REMOVAL

Treating vascular malformation

The presence of a vascular malformation -hemangioma, angioma, telangiectasia- is due to an excess of blood vessels near the cutaneous surface that causes a reddish or purplish color depending on their origin (arterial, capillary or venous).

Several treatments are used, including graft surgery, electrocoagulation, sclerosant injections, cryotherapy, among others, obtaining variable results.

The type of vascular lesion and its location will have influence on the specific vascular laser selection (Candela Sclerolaser, diode laser). The selection made by the professional will be notified upon the initial evaluation.

Considering that most lesions will require more than one laser application and at least a six-week interval among treatments, it is not possible to inform at the time of the original visit the number of sessions required for the complete removal or the full treatment duration.

According to our experience, the total application average depends on color, malformation deepness and age. It is known that the removal is quicker in children and teenagers and in the case of flat lesions, as compared to prominent lesions. The purplish color is more resistant to the treatment than the reddish color; therefore, multiple sessions will be required to improve them.

Requirements prior to beginning the treatment

• Sun exposure without an adequate sun protection factor is absolutely contraindicated.
• Due to the discomfort caused by laser application, a local cream is previously applied on the malformation area.
• As an institutional policy, no general anesthesia is applied to small children, and they will be accepted for treatment only if they tolerate the procedure with the usual anesthesia-cream.
• Immediately after treatment, there will appear a slight edema and black spots related to the diameter of the laser shot. Those lesions last from around 5 to 7 days, with the possible subsequent formation of scabs. The skin regeneration process will take about 15 days.
• To disguise the lesions produced by the treatment, specific makeup to be provided by the center, along with the application method, may be used.
• The eyes are protected by special lenses that do not avoid the eyelid edema produced when areas near the eye are treated.
• Ice may be used with brief resting periods after the treatment.
• There may be changes in skin pigmentation due to sun exposure.
• Patients with a history of herpes infections must receive prophylactic antiviral medication due to the viral reactivation risk.

During treatment, no peeling should be made and no creams with exfoliant agents or retinoic acid should be used. The physician should be advised whether the patient is using any pharmaceutical cream or whether he/she is receiving retinoic acid in pills.