Laser therapy · HappyDERM, ul. Barlickiego 31/1u, Wrocław
Laser therapy in Wrocław
We close telangiectasia and reduce erythema, remove hyperpigmentation and sun-induced patches, smooth post-acne scars, rejuvenate the skin with a fractional laser and perform laser hair removal. We work on the Alma Harmony XL platform (Nd:YAG 1064 nm, iPixel Er:YAG 2940 nm, DyeVL, NIR) and a picosecond laser. Treatments are qualified and performed by a dermatologist, because before we direct light at a patch we have to know that it really is a sun-induced patch and not a naevus.
Indications for laser therapy
The name of a laser is not a diagnosis. A red nose may be rosacea, which we treat first, and a brown patch on the cheek may be melasma, which darkens after the wrong laser. That is why we describe the scope by problem, with indicative prices from the price list.
Vascular lesions and telangiectasia
Nd:YAG and DyeVL. Nose PLN 500, cheeks PLN 800, whole face from PLN 1500, cherry angioma from PLN 150, leg thread veins PLN 400–1200. In rosacea the laser reduces the erythema but does not treat the disease; we do that in parallel.
Pigmentary disorders of the skin
DyeVL 500–600 nm and a picosecond laser. A single patch from PLN 300, hands PLN 500–600, whole face PLN 1200–1600. Solar lentigines clear well, melasma requires caution and creams, and post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation after acne is often treated topically first.
Atrophic and hypertrophic scars
iPixel Er:YAG fractional laser. Cheeks from PLN 800, forehead from PLN 600, whole face from PLN 1600. Atrophic scars (depressions) are flattened over 3–4 sessions, with improvement usually of 30–50 per cent. Active acne must be brought under control first.
Photoageing of the skin
Fractional Er:YAG resurfacing (whole face from PLN 1700, periorbital area PLN 600) or NIR thermal lifting without exfoliation (face PLN 800). The first gives a greater effect at the cost of 5–7 days of healing; the second does not keep you away from work.
Lasting reduction of hair
Upper lip PLN 250, underarms PLN 350, bikini from PLN 350, calves PLN 350, thighs PLN 450. Usually 6–8 sessions every 4–8 weeks. It works best on dark hair on fair skin; the laser does not see grey or red hair.
Laser removal of pigment from the skin
A picosecond Nd:YAG laser breaks the pigment into particles that the body removes itself. Black ink clears best; green and blue require more sessions. Intervals of 6–8 weeks. The price depends on the size; it is quoted at the consultation.
The devices we work with
Colloquially everything is called a laser, but DyeVL and SHR are sources of intense light, NIR is infrared, and Cryo 6 is air cooling that reduces pain during the treatment. They cannot be used interchangeably, because each targets something different: haemoglobin in a vessel, melanin in a patch or water in the epidermis.
Nd:YAG 1064 nm (long pulse)
A wavelength that penetrates deeply and is poorly absorbed by melanin, which makes it suitable for leg veins, thicker angiomas and hair removal in people with darker skin.
DyeVL 500–600 nm
A narrow band of light matched to haemoglobin and melanin at the same time. Our basic tool for erythema on the cheeks, fine telangiectasia on the nose and sun-induced patches on the face, décolletage and hands.
iPixel Er:YAG 2940 nm (ablative fractional)
It vaporises microscopic columns of the epidermis, leaving healthy skin between them from which healing proceeds. For scars, wrinkles, stretch marks and thick, rough skin. Healing takes 5–7 days.
Picosecond laser
A pulse a thousand times shorter than in a classic Q-switch. It breaks pigment photoacoustically, with almost no heating of the tissue, and therefore carries less risk of post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation. For tattoos, permanent make-up and resistant patches.
SHR
Gradual heating of the hair follicle with a series of low-energy pulses instead of one strong pulse. It hurts less and is safer for tanned skin, but it requires a series because it reaches only the hairs in the growth phase.
NIR and Cryo 6
NIR heats the dermis to about 40 degrees and contracts collagen without damaging the epidermis. Cryo 6 blows air at minus 30 degrees onto the treated area, which allows higher energy to be used at the same level of pain.
When a laser is not the first choice
Active acne: we treat it first and deal with scars afterwards, otherwise new lesions will create new scars. Melasma: the laser is often the last step, after brightening creams and months of sun protection, and even then with a risk of recurrence in summer. Erythema in rosacea: the laser closes the vessels, but without treating the disease they return within a year or two. Uneven skin texture with blocked pores: a retinoid costing PLN 60 can achieve more than a treatment costing 1700.
Information given at the consultation
- what the diagnosis is and what exactly the energy is targeting,
- why this device and not another, and what the alternative is,
- how many sessions, at what intervals, and what improvement is realistic,
- what the skin will look like during the first week,
- what to do if something does not go as planned, and which number to call.
What we do not do
We do not treat pigmented lesions with light without dermoscopy. We do not perform lasers for hyperpigmentation between May and September on people who will be sunbathing. We do not sell packages of ten treatments for the price of eight in advance, because after the third treatment it may turn out that the fourth is unnecessary. More on the order of treating acne and scars: acne treatment.
What qualification for laser therapy looks like
At the first visit we usually do not yet perform the treatment, unless it concerns a single angioma or fine telangiectasia and the skin has not been exposed to the sun. For hyperpigmentation, scars and hair removal we need a moment to plan, and the patient needs time to consider the cost and the healing.
1. Diagnosis
We examine the lesion, if necessary with a dermatoscope. We establish whether it is a vessel, pigment, a scar or a disease that must be treated first.
2. Phototype and history
Skin colour, tanning within the last 4 weeks, photosensitising medicines (doxycycline, isotretinoin, some herbal preparations), herpes simplex, keloids, pregnancy.
3. Device and plan
We select the handpiece, the energy, the number of sessions and the intervals. With darker skin or a large area we perform a test on a few centimetres and review it after a week.
4. Consent and recommendations
Written consent, a card of recommendations, the date of a follow-up. For facial treatments in people with herpes simplex we start an antiviral medicine the day before.
Before the treatment
- 4 weeks without sun or sunbeds on the treated area, and without self-tanning products,
- 2 weeks without retinoids and acids on that area (unless agreed otherwise),
- the area shaved the day before for hair removal; no waxing or plucking for 4 weeks,
- no make-up or creams on the day of the treatment, with a list of medicines on your phone.
Planning the healing period
After treatment of telangiectasia the face is red for 1–3 days. After DyeVL for patches the pigmentation darkens and comes away like coffee grounds over 7–10 days. After fractional Er:YAG there is swelling and small crusts for 5–7 days, with make-up from day 3–4. After SHR hair removal you can go to work straight away. Do not schedule a facial treatment for the week before an important event.
How many sessions are needed and why
The number of treatments follows from biology, not from the price list. Hair grows in cycles, so one treatment reaches only part of the follicles. Collagen in scars is remodelled over months. Vessels close at the first attempt, but new ones can appear if the skin is not protected. As a guide:
Telangiectasia: 1–3 sessions
Every 4–6 weeks. Single vessels on the nose often after one treatment, diffuse erythema of the cheeks 2–3.
Hyperpigmentation: 1–3 sessions
Every 4 weeks, in autumn and winter only. Sun-induced patches 1–2; melasma not entirely, and with recurrences.
Scars: 3–5 sessions
Every 4–6 weeks. The effect continues to build for 3–6 months after the last session, because that is how long collagen remodelling takes.
Hair removal: 6–8 sessions
Face every 4 weeks, body every 6–8. Afterwards 1–2 maintenance treatments a year, because hormones wake new follicles.
Contraindications and possible side effects
After every laser there may be redness and swelling, and after stronger ones a blister or a crust. The most frequent more serious problem is post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation, particularly in people with darker skin, those who are tanned or those who have not used sun protection. Infection or scarring occurs rarely. The eye area is always treated with protective goggles, for the doctor as well.
When we postpone the treatment
- tanning within the last 4 weeks or a planned trip to the sun,
- active herpes simplex, skin infection, fresh irritation,
- isotretinoin within the last 6 months (for ablative lasers),
- pregnancy and breastfeeding for elective treatments,
- an undiagnosed pigmented lesion, or the expectation that a laser will remove everything.
Contact before the follow-up date
- the pain increases after the second day instead of subsiding,
- blisters appear beyond the treated area, or there is pus or fever,
- swelling closes the eye or grows rapidly,
- vision deteriorates after a treatment near the eye.
In the case of visual disturbance or feeling very unwell, do not wait for a call back — dial 112.
What to expect after the treatment and how to care for the skin
You receive a card of recommendations for the particular treatment and it takes precedence. Common to all: gentle washing, a regenerating cream, SPF 50 daily for at least a month and no picking of anything. What follows is a typical course, not a promise.
| Treatment | The first days | What to watch for |
|---|---|---|
| Telangiectasia, erythema | Redness and slight swelling for 1–3 days; the vessel may briefly become darker and then disappear. | No sauna, hot baths, alcohol or intensive exercise for 3 days. The result is assessed after 4 weeks. |
| Hyperpigmentation | The patch darkens within a day and after 5–10 days exfoliates like fine coffee grounds. | Do not pick it. SPF 50 every 2–3 hours in the sun for 2 months, otherwise the patch returns darker. |
| Fractional Er:YAG | Swelling, redness and a sunburn-like sensation for 2 days, with small crusts for up to 7 days. | Cooling, a rich regenerating cream, no make-up for 3–4 days. Report blisters, pus or severe pain. |
| SHR hair removal | Redness around the follicles for a few hours; the hairs shed within 1–3 weeks. | Between sessions, shaving only. No waxing or plucking, because they remove the bulb we are targeting. |
Healing time is individual. This description does not replace the recommendations received after the treatment.
Laser therapy in Wrocław: what patients ask
Is the laser painful?
It depends on the treatment. Telangiectasia and DyeVL feel like an elastic band snapping against the skin, SHR hair removal feels like warmth, and fractional Er:YAG stings — here we use anaesthetic cream and Cryo 6 cooling. We do not use anaesthesia for vessels, because it constricts them and makes them harder to target.
Can I have a laser treatment in summer?
Hair removal and telangiectasia on untanned skin, yes. Hyperpigmentation, resurfacing and whole-face treatments are postponed to October–March, because sun after the treatment is a direct route to post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation.
I have dark skin. Is a laser suitable for me?
Some treatments are: Nd:YAG 1064 nm and SHR are safe for darker skin. DyeVL and treatments for hyperpigmentation require caution and a test on a small area. We will say plainly if the risk of hyperpigmentation outweighs the expected result.
Will the laser remove a scar completely?
No. A scar cannot be erased; it can be flattened and its colour evened out, usually by 30–50 per cent after a series of treatments. Raised scars and keloids are treated differently (injections), and the laser is an addition there.
Does the laser treat rosacea?
The laser closes vessels and reduces erythema — that is, a sign — but it does not treat the disease. In patients with rosacea we conduct dermatological treatment in parallel and add the laser once the inflammation is under control.
How much does it cost and is the first visit chargeable?
The qualifying consultation costs the same as a dermatological visit (PLN 280–350). Treatment prices are in the price list: from PLN 150 for a single angioma to about PLN 1700 for resurfacing of the whole face. You receive the final quotation at the consultation, before the first pulse.
What we base this information on
- American Academy of Dermatology, treatment of post-acne scars, including with a fractional laser.
- American Academy of Dermatology, lasers and light in rosacea.
- British Association of Dermatologists, laser treatment of vascular lesions, patient leaflet.
The prices are indicative and come from the HappyDERM price list. The type of treatment, the parameters and the number of sessions are determined by the doctor after examining the skin. The list of contraindications and possible adverse effects is not exhaustive.
Book qualification for a laser treatment
Tell reception what you want treated: telangiectasia, patches, scars, hair or a tattoo. Wrocław, ul. Barlickiego 31/1u, tel. 573 290 488.
The result of a treatment — an example
The comparison shows the closing of dilated vessels on the ala of the nose. The slider makes it possible to compare the appearance before and after the treatment.
The number of treatments required depends on the extent of the lesions and the diameter of the vessels. Vascular lesions often coexist with rosacea, which is why we also assess the inflammatory state of the skin before the treatment. Further examples: gallery of results.
Beyond the laser: radiofrequency and micro-plasma
Not every skin problem requires a laser. At the clinic in Wrocław we also have the Alma Beauty SpaDeep device, which allows us to perform firming treatments with radiofrequency and fractional skin renewal with Pixel RF micro-plasma. Micro-plasma is not light, which is why it remains available all year round and in patients of all skin phototypes, including tanned skin.
