What is Nd:YAG?
Laser Treatment: Nd:YAG
Best For: enlarged blood vessels and veins
Downtime: redness, swelling, and mild itching for a few days
Many people with large blood vessels and veins on their face and bodies don't realize they can easily zap them away. Enter: Nd:YAG lasers, another non-ablative laser. "YAG lasers work by sending heat energy through the skin, which targets hemoglobin molecules," says Dr. Eidelman. "These are the molecules that cause the red pigment in our blood." Once these molecules are heated, the vessels become damaged at just the right level in the skin, without damaging the surface layer.
According to Dr. Eidelman, if there's more contrast between the color of the skin and the patient's blood vessel, there tends to be better results. "When treating for the red color in vessels, the best candidates are individuals of fair skin who have not recently gotten sun exposure," he explains.
Nd:YAG treatments can be performed on many different areas of the body spanning different treatment sizes, so pain levels before and after vary based on both factors. During the treatment, your skin might feel hot or as if it is being snapped with tiny rubber bands. Downtime is fairly minimal, with redness, swelling, and itching that may last a few days; and only a small percentage of patients bruise or form scabs at the treatment site.
"Sometimes only one treatment is needed to do the trick, but it can differ depending on what the specific target is. People with darker and larger blood vessels may find they fall into this camp," Dr. Eidelman notes. If more than one treatment is needed, he recommended waiting four to six weeks between sessions.
Anyone considering Nd:YAG treatments is in luck, because it can be used on pretty much all skin tones, but again when it comes to people with darker skin types, lower energy levels need to be used so patients don't run the risk of getting any skin discoloration.
