Visible red veins can undermine confidence, but laser-light therapy offers a solution, writes ELEANOR FITZSIMONS
BACK IN the heady but distant days of my youth, the possibility of seeking any treatment that might fall under the heading of cosmetic surgery would never have entered my mind. Apart from the obvious budgetary considerations I would have assumed that such narcissism was the preserve of tangerine WAGs and wide-eyed yummy mummies desperately staving off the inevitable toll of ageing. Slapping on a bit of foundation would cover the blemishes and I was happy to let time do its worst – or so I thought.
Then earlier this year an unsightly and very visible – to me anyway – red blotch appeared on my left cheek and was soon joined by a matching imperfection on the side of my nose. I tried to cover up and carry on but to be honest they began to really get me down. I’d look in the mirror and see nothing else and soon my acute awareness had undermined my confidence significantly. I’m not vain but I really wanted to get rid of these visible veins.
Determined to find a solution but unwilling to embark on an expensive course of invasive treatments, I asked around and was directed towards Intense Pulsed Light (IPL) therapy by the very informative Irish beauty blog beaut.ie. This non-invasive and affordable procedure, commonly used for hair removal, can also eliminate damaged veins and capillaries in days. However, in what is still an unregulated industry it is important to seek out a reputable practitioner.
The procedure was performed by Sinéad Gallagher, a qualified nurse with a higher diploma in wound management and tissue viability. She established Renew Aesthetic Clinic on Hatch Street, Dublin 2 in 2006 along with her business partner, fellow nurse Jeanette Dunne. Having trained together in St Vincent’s University Hospital and gained extensive experience, the two became aware of an opportunity to establish a nurse-led clinic that would operate in a way that differed significantly from either a beautician or dermatology practice.
“We’re very passionate about what we’re doing. People are spending money and they don’t have much and they need to know that they are in safe hands and that we have a medical background,” says Gallagher.
Every prospective client must undergo a very detailed consultation beforehand. If their problem is one that requires a dermatologist then they will be referred on. “I’d often refer people to a dermatologist,” says Gallagher. “Having worked in the sector I know some really good people”.
Gallagher confirmed that I had visible red veins and explained that the face contains an extensive network of veins and tiny blood vessels that can break and appear as red blotches as a result of ageing, traumas, sun exposure and certain lifestyle factors.
These veins are always there just below the surface of the skin but “over a period of time your collagen weakens and they become more visible”.
In simple terms Gallagher outlines how IPL works by “dispersing the capillaries. The intense white light heats up the red vein to the point that it effectively explodes and is re-absorbed.”
My problem is commonplace. Gallagher estimates that it affects at least one in four people and as it is age-related, it more commonly occurs in the over-35s.
“It would be very unusual to get someone in here in their 20s with broken capillaries”. Unfortunately Irish people are predisposed. “Things like the elements – wind and rain – they definitely make a difference. Sun exposure can make it worse and the paler your skin the more obvious the condition.”
IPL technology has been around for 15 years or so but new applications are increasingly emerging. While many salons offer an IPL-based hair-removal treatment, few have the equipment to provide red vein treatment too. Gallagher explains that the “wavelength used for each treatment varies and the specific machine used in the treatment of red veins is prohibitively expensive”.
Expertise is also a consideration. Gallagher and her partner perform every procedure and both have received extensive training in addition to their nursing qualifications.
I wondered about any potential side effects. Gallagher explains that “as the IPL laser does not penetrate beyond the epidermis there are never any lasting effects”. Occasionally temporary changes are visible.
“Sometimes, especially if you are treating red veins around the eyes, the area may temporarily become slightly swollen. Occasionally a small water blister might appear or a slight change in pigmentation might be seen as a result of the intense heat but this is purely superficial. The blister would be like one you’d get from wearing a new pair of shoes. Totally superficially, very rare and it will simply subside. Any pigmentation change or micro-crusting will simply flake away.”
This form of IPL laser treatment has wider applications too. In addition to visible red veins, “we would treat a lot of people with the same laser for pigmentation issues and age spots on the face, hands and around the area of the décolletage”.
Although the availability of IPL technology will never be hailed as a major medical breakthrough, in its own small way it can make a difference to people’s lives. I am very pleased with my results and have regained a lot of lost confidence. I am not alone.
Gallagher has witnessed this transformation many times. “I’ve treated women who would never go outside the house without make-up and the treatment totally changes them,” she says.
