Birthmark laser treatment is quite the viable option to reduce the appearance of or eliminate birthmarks all together. The type of laser treatment to be used for your birthmark depends on the type of birthmark you have. There are a few types we will outline here.
If your birthmark is a pigmented brown or tan birthmark then a laser called the Q-switched laser will lighten the birthmark nicely. If your birthmark is a vascular birthmark then a pulse-dye laser will burn off the blood vessels causing the birthmarks. Green colored lasers are used more and more to reduce the redness that goes along with the birthmarks. Opposing colors have a greater success rate in removing certain birthmark colors.
There is no guarantee that the birthmark will completely disappear so do not get your hopes up. Birthmark laser treatment can greatly reduce the color of the birthmarks and lighten them considerably but they may never be gone completely. Who knows, a little improvement may go a long way to making you feel better about yourself. Maybe getting your birthmark lightened just a little may make it easier to cover up with makeup before you go out on the town.
The area to be treated is cleansed with a mild soap and water, rinsed, and dried thoroughly. Then a topical anesthetic cream is applied to the area. When the area is comfortably numb then the laser is placed over the area to be treated and the laser light is pulsed rapidly over the whole area in a grid pattern.
Depending on the depth of color of the birthmark, more than one treatment may be required to significantly lighten or get rid of the birthmark. Small children require a general anesthetic for the laser treatments due to the fact that they may have a difficult time settling down and sitting still for the entire procedure.
Port wine stains can be lightened any where from 50 to 90 percent during and after laser treatment with some patients experiencing complete removal of their birthmark. Some birthmarks like hemagiomas cannot be treated with lasers except decrease their growth. Surgery is needed to control the bleeding that is possible with hemangiomas, especially the cavernous hemangiomas
Due to advancements in laser therapy, there is no reason to continue being embarrassed about your birthmark. Most birthmarks are benign, which means that they do not cause any other health problems. Talk at length, though, with your doctor if you are considering laser treatment for the removal.
If there is no medical reason for the removal then your insurance company will most likely tell you you are on your own when paying for the bill. They will not cover cosmetic procedures and birthmark laser removal is just that, cosmetic. So, unless you have a cavernous vascular hemangioma and need surgery to correct it, then be prepared to foot the bill yourself or just learn to live with the birthmark you were born with. Maybe it is such that you are one of God's special children and he marked you so he could find you easier.
