To find out what photodynamic therapy and other photorejuvenation techniques can do for your rosacea or other skin problems, contact our office in northwest Oregon.
Peter Goodkin M.D.
9775 SE Sunnyside Road #500
Clackamas, Oregon 97015
P / 503-654-7546
F / 503-786-3542
A member of the ACMMSCO©™
Rosacea, Photodynamic Therapy, and Photorejuvenation in Oregon
Nothing is quite as good as soft, smooth, evenly textured, radiant, age-defying skin. Some of the most gratifying advances in dermatology have developed in the field of photorejuvenation and photodynamic therapy. The Oregon office of Dr. Peter Goodkin is pleased to provide such state-of-the-art services to our dermatology patients with rosacea or other skin conditions — the Vbeam® Perfecta Laser, Thermage® Skin Tightening, and Photodynamic Therapy, among others.
Vbeam® Perfecta Laser
Our state-of-the-art Vbeam® Perfecta Laser allows us to safely, easily, and effectively treat many skin disorders simply and quickly. For photorejuvenation and photodynamic therapy in Oregon, the Vbeam® Perfecta Laser is a premier technology available to you.
- How does the Vbeam® Perfecta Laser work?
- What is a vascular spot?
- What is a pigmented spot?
- What conditions can be treated with the Vbeam® Perfecta Laser?
- How safe are the treatments?
- Does it hurt?
- How many treatments will be necessary?
- What results can be expected?
How does the Vbeam® Perfecta Laser work?
All laser procedures work on the same principle. Every substance, including parts of the skin, absorbs light of different colors at different rates. The color target is called the chromophore. For skin treatments, lasers are usually chosen so that their energies will be absorbed by the following chromophores:
- Melanin pigment — brown
- Hemoglobin — the red in blood flowing through the skin's capillaries
- Water — present in all skin cells
- Tattoo pigments
When the laser light is absorbed by the target, heat is produced and causes a selective heating of the chromophore (color). The Vbeam® Laser produces an intense but gentle burst of light that selectively destroys the blood vessels of your unwanted red and mottled brown areas, without damaging the surrounding tissue.
What is a vascular spot?
Skin blemishes due to an abnormal concentration or size of blood vessels that gives the skin a red color are called 'vascular lesions.' Rosacea, port wine stains, strawberry hemangiomas, and spider veins (telangiectasias) are all forms of vascular lesions.
What is a pigmented spot?
Pigmented areas are caused by an overgrowth of melanocytes or overproduction of melanin in the skin. Melanocytes are the cells that make melanin, which is the dark brown pigment in skin. Most of us have some form of pigmented lesions. These include brown age spots, keratoses, melasma, freckles, and moles.
Lesions without color are called non-pigmented spots. Examples include warts, non-pigmented moles, sebaceous hyperplasia (enlarged oil glands), and skin tags.
What conditions can be treated with the Vbeam® Perfecta Laser?
- Facial veins/ rosacea
- Photodamage
- Poikiloderma — mottled red and brown areas on the neck
- Spider angiomas
- Red birthmarks
- Brown splotchy irregular pigmentation of the face
- Sebaceous hyperplasia (enlarged oil glands)
- Large pores (in photodynamic treatments)
- Hypertrophic scars
- Leg veins
- Stretch marks
- Acne — the red component
How safe are the treatments?
The pulsed dye laser was invented to treat red birthmarks in babies. The Vbeam® pulsed dye laser has a long safety record. Laser treatments performed properly, by a trained physician, are safe and effective. There are many benefits to laser surgery, including minimal pain and no needles. We can help address your concerns at our office when you visit us for a photorejuvenation consultation at our Oregon practice.
Does it hurt?
The Vbeam® Perfecta Laser applies a cooling spray to the skin a fraction of a second before each laser pulse. That cooling both protects the skin and reduces discomfort. Patients say they feel a sting, like the snap of a rubber band on the skin, followed by the feeling of windburn. Most treatments do not require anesthetics. However, some patients feel more comfortable with a local numbing agent like ice or an anesthetic cream. Afterward we apply a soothing gel that seems to suck the heat out of the freshly treated skin.
How many treatments will be necessary?
This depends on the size, thickness, location, and color of the treated area. Spider veins on the face and age spots generally do well with one or two treatments, while thicker red birthmarks often require multiple treatments. Rosacea redness, facial rejuvenation, and laser toning are usually done as a series of four treatments at monthly intervals. You will continue to see a lightening of the area after each treatment as your body disposes of the abnormal cells.
What results can be expected?
Most patients will see improvement in their vascular and pigmented lesions. The improvement can be quite pleasing. However, as with any medical procedure, there is a possibility that only minor changes will occur, and in rare cases, there may be no response.
If you have been considering Vbeam® photorejuvenation or other photodynamic therapy for rosacea or other problems, our Oregon office staff is ready to help you. Don't wait any longer to see the benefit of these treatments.
Laser Toning — Thermage® Skin Tightening
Over the years, sun, wind and time have taken their toll, and your skin is showing signs of aging. Fine lines are beginning to form around your lips and eyes. As the collagen that supports your skin wears out, deeper lines and grooves appear in your brow and next to your nose, down to the corners of your mouth. Perhaps you are now looking to reverse the years of wear and tear on your skin.
Skin treatments have continued to improve, from dermabrasion and chemical peels to carbon dioxide and erbium laser skin resurfacing. With dermabrasion, layers of skin are actually removed with an electric sander, and in chemical peels, layers of skin are burned away with an acid solution. Lasers have given the surgeon more control and made skin resurfacing safer and more predictable. However, carbon dioxide and erbium laser resurfacing strip off the outer layer of skin, creating a wound which may require bandages and a lengthy recovery period.
- Laser toning (aka laserfacial, fotofacial, photofacial)
- Who are the best candidates for laser toning?
- What are the benefits of laser toning?
- How many treatments will I need?
- What is recovery like after laser toning?
- Is laser toning right for you?
Laser toning (aka laserfacial, fotofacial, photofacial)
Laser toning is used to combat the effects of aging in a kinder, gentler way. It uses an advanced process that delivers laser energy through your skin's surface to gently stimulate the production of collagen while cooling and protecting the outer layer of your skin. The new collagen softens the appearance of aging skin, improving texture and tautness. Unlike laser and chemical peels, laser toning does not remove a layer of skin. It simply tightens your skin to diminish the appearance of wrinkles.
Who are the best candidates for laser toning?
Anyone wishing to reduce or delay the signs of aging, postpone more aggressive treatments, or prolong the results of previous treatments can benefit from laser toning. Even patients with pigmentation that precludes the use of some lasers and patients with depressed acne scars will benefit from our laser toning treatment. Find out whether you're an appropriate candidate for laser toning: contact our dermatology office today for a consultation.
What are the benefits of laser toning?
- Laser toning treatments are safe and effective.
- Laser toning is a non-invasive procedure performed in 15–20 minutes.
- Treatments with laser toning rarely result in injury to tissue.
- With laser toning there is no or minimal downtime.
How many treatments will I need?
Every patient is different. Many see results after the second or third treatment. Treatments are normally spaced four to five weeks apart in the beginning, then six months apart if a maintenance program is begun.
Your maintenance program will last as long as you would like to delay the effects of aging, or until there is a need for a slightly more aggressive treatment such as photodynamic rejuvenation or Thermage® skin tightening. We hope to delay or avoid the more invasive procedures such as resurfacing or a facelift.
What is recovery like after laser toning?
Mild redness may last a day. Some tightness of the cheeks may last four to five days. This is usually a tightness you feel rather than swelling that others can see. Laser toning is so gentle that there is no interruption to your daily routine.
During your series of treatments, you will see an ongoing improvement in how your skin looks and feels. No tissue is removed. There is no wound, no oozing or crusting as associated with laser resurfacing, chemical peels, and dermabrasion. Bandages are not required.
You can appreciate your skin gradually rebuilding from the inside and being restored to a more youthful appearance. Over a few months, our laser toning treatments can replenish what nature and time have diminished.
Is laser toning right for you?
Dr. Goodkin will review your medical history, age, skin type, and pigmentation, consider your desired results, and determine the best course of treatment for you. Results will vary from patient to patient depending on age, skin type, condition, and the number of treatments.
For more information on photorejuvenation, please contact our Clackamas, Oregon office. Restore what nature has taken away!
Photodynamic Therapy
Photodynamic therapy (also called photodynamic rejuvenation or ALA/PDT) is a special treatment performed with a topical light-sensitizing agent called Levulan® (5-aminolevulinic acid or ALA) activated with a specific wavelength of light. These treatments remove sun damage spots called actinic keratoses while reducing redness, fine lines, and blotchy pigmentation. Photodynamic therapy also has the unique ability to minimize the appearance of pores and reduce oil glands, as well as effectively treat stubborn acne and acne rosacea of our Oregon patients. It even improves the appearance of some acne scars. Schedule a dermatology consultation with Dr. Goodkin, a dermasurgeon, to learn more.
- How much improvement can I expect?
- How many treatments will it take to see the best results?
- What is the downside?
How much improvement can I expect?
Patients with severe sun-damaged skin manifested by actinic keratoses, prominent capillaries, redness, texture, and tone changes (including mottled pigmentation and skin laxity) may see excellent results. You may also see improvement of large pores and pitted acne scars. Active acne can improve dramatically. The photorejuvenation performed at our Oregon offices is a very effective procedure.
How many treatments will it take to see the best results?
To achieve maximum improvement of redness, pre-cancerous lesions (actinic keratoses), sun damage, skin tone, and texture, a series of two to four treatments performed at three to four weeks apart is the most effective. Some patients with only actinic keratoses are happy with just one treatment. More treatments can be done at periodic intervals in the future to maintain the rejuvenated appearance of the skin.
What is the downside?
Following photodynamic therapy, the treated areas can be red with some peeling for two to seven days. Some patients have an exuberant response to photodynamic therapy and experience marked redness of their skin. Temporary swelling of the lips and around your eyes can occur for a few days. Darker pigmented patches called liver spots can become temporarily darker and then peel off, leaving normal skin. This usually occurs over seven to 10 days. A series of treatments is usually necessary. Occasional touch-ups are often helpful.
In summary, photodynamic therapy matches the "ideal treatment" for photo-damaged skin, as it is:
- well tolerated
- easily performed in a specialty clinic environment
- non-invasive (no needles or surgery required)
In addition, photodynamic therapy usually provides an excellent cosmetic outcome, particularly in cosmetic-sensitive areas of the face.
For information about photodynamic therapy and rosacea or other skin problems, contact our Oregon dermatology office to schedule an appointment with Dr. Goodkin. Your skin problems could be a thing of the past!