As we age, skin tone and texture become two of the biggest complaints. Facial redness and small facial veins are often what people first come to a medical spa to treat. Cutera Laser Genesis and Vasculite, part of the CoolGlide family, are able to help treat these skin issues. While these treatments can be done as standalone procedures, they are also often incorporated, often at no extra charge, with our FotoFacial treatments and packages as valued-added bonuses.
WHAT IS GENESIS/VASCULITE AND WHAT DOES IT DO?
Cutera Laser Genesis and Vasculite are different settings on the CoolGlide 1064nm system, that treat facial redness, and small veins and broken capillaries. The Laser Genesis procedure utilizes non-invasive laser technology to safely diffuse redness, and help manage large pores, uneven skin texture, and scars. By gently heating the upper dermis well below your skin’s surface, Laser Genesis stimulates collagen regrowth. Additional heat is generated in dilated capillaries to reduce redness. Unlike other laser treatments, Laser Genesis is not a contact treatment, meaning no gel or solutions will be applied to your face, and nothing will touch your face during the treatment. For an overview of this technology and some before and after photos, please visit www.cutera.com/lasergenesis. Vasculite uses the same treatment head on the Cutera system, but different settings and full contact on the skin. This treatment targets individual broken capillaries and small veins. Vasculite is particularly good for the small veins on the sides of the nose, cheeks, and chin. For larger veins, this treatment isn’t effective because the veins cannot be cleared. If you have larger veins, Dr. Rueckl most often injects those with sclerotherapy. You can learn more about Vasculite treatments and see photos at www.cutera.com/vasculite. In the photo below, a Vasculite treatment is being performed.
WHAT AREAS ARE TREATED WITH GENESIS/VASCULITE?
Any area of the body can be treated with Laser Genesis. The most common areas are the face, neck, and chest; although other areas may be done as well. Vasculite is most commonly done on small veins on the face, but it can be done on other areas as well, including on the small veins that appear around the ankles.
WHAT IS A GENESIS/VASCULITE TREATMENT LIKE?
Before you begin Laser Genesis or Vasculite treatments, you will discuss the procedures with Dr. Rueckl or one of the certified technicians, sign a consent, and if desired, take pre-treatment photos. We often add these treatments into a FotoFacial package at no extra charge if we believe these will have a value-added benefit for your skin. Most often Laser Genesis and Vasculite treatrments are done without a topical anesthetic because they are not painful; however, if you’d like topical anesthetic it can be applied to the area being treated to reduce any associated discomfort. Many offices charge extra for topical anesthetics but we have always believed that your comfort should come first, so we include this at no charge for any procedures in our offices. The topical cream is kept on for about 15-20 minutes. To perform the treatment, your technician will use the appropriate treatment applicator and settings on the Cutera system to treat your affected area. The Laser Genesis treatment does not have full contact with the skin, but instead is waved over the skin while rapid pulses target the redness. This treatment is most often described as feeling like warm water droplets on the skin. Thousands of pulses are done to each area for maximum effects. Total treatment time for a full face is approximately 15 minutes. With the Vasculite treatment, the applicator head has full contact with the skin so that it can target the specific capillary or vein. There should not be a significant amount of pain, but some areas of the body may be more sensitive than others. Each pulse should have what can be compared to a rubberband snap in the most sensitive areas. Never should you feel so much pain that the procedure is intolerable. The total treatment time for Vasculite is normally less than 15 minutes. When the area has been fully treated, your technician will apply hydrocortisone to any needed sites. Also, sunscreen will be applied to any exposed areas.
WHAT KIND OF RESULTS CAN I EXPECT FROM A GENESIS/VASCULITE TREATMENT?
Your skin may appear slightly red or warm for a few hours after the treatment, similar to a light sunburn. Rash-like mild edema or erythmia may be present. You can apply hydrocortisone to these sites. Makeup can be applied immediately after a treatment and you can resume any normal activities. There is no downtime with this procedure. You should have realistic expectations and remember that multiple treatments are needed. Over the course of your treatments you should notice less general redness and any individually treated veins should begin to lighten and ultimately disappear. With Laser Genesis, your pores should be less defined and your general skin tone should improve.
HOW MUCH DOES A GENESIS/VASCULITE TREATMENT COST?
The best way to determine your price would be to visit us for a free consulation. While these treatments are often added into our FotoFacial packages at no additional cost, they can also be priced individually. A full face Laser Genesis treatment begins at $125, and a Vasculite treatment begins at $75. Our prices are based upon our technicians’ high level of experience, the care you receive, our value-added benefits, the direct supervision of a Board-certified dermatologist, and the consumable costs for our treatments. While other offices may offer different pricing structures, we are confident that you will not receive the same level of care from any other facility.
