It is also commonly known as VBEAM, which is the brand name of the laser machine. Pulsed Dye Laser is a specialised laser that targets the blood vessels in your skin. The laser energy is absorbed as heat by the blood vessels. The heat breaks the blood vessels apart so they can be reabsorbed by your body, leaving behind a natural skin tone.
Any skin conditions that is red due to localised proliferation of blood vessels such as:
Other non-vascular skin conditions such as:
Bruising and swelling are expected skin reactions from this laser, hence it is not a side effect. Downtime for this laser is expected to be between 3-10 days. Certain type of skin conditions, may not have any downtime at all.
As for any other lasers, the side effects that one may experience are burn presenting as blisters, pigmentation (either darker and rarely lighter skin tone), and scars.
It is important to practice good and diligent sun protection before and after laser because tanned skin is likely to lead to the above side effects. Listen to your dermatologists’ advice on skin care, avoiding any harsh wash and cream.
Different skin conditions, location of the skin conditions, and skin tones will react differently to Pulsed Dye Laser. Two or more treatments are required to achieve satisfactory outcome. However, you must be aware that the laser may not erase all your red marks but it can lighten it down, for example port wine stain, and rosacea. Treatment interval is about 1- 2 months apart. There is a chance of recurrence in some skin conditions, such as port wine stain and rosacea and further treatment can be administered.
It is recommended to get this laser treatment by a qualified dermatologist so that proper diagnosis and counselling can be done before commencing on this treatment. Several private dermatology clinics and hospital-based dermatology departments will have this laser machine. You may want to enquire further at SOG-HM Liew Skin & Laser Clinic regarding Pulsed Dye Laser.
We have a range of cosmeceuticals for different types of skin:
– Oily/acne skin
– Dry skin
– Sensitive skin
– Ageing skin
– Pigmented skin
Our dermatologist, Dr Liew, also believes in preventative measures to delay ageing and prevent pigmentation. These measures come in the form of topical, oral, laser and injectables. Please do not hesitate to contact us for further information.
We welcome you to take a look at our range without any prior consultation. Our clinic staff will be able to assist you. However, you will need to consult our dermatologist if you want to request for a prescription-only medication/creams, so that you will be assessed, and given the right treatment and instructions.
The injections are usually very safe and used to treat dynamic lines or wrinkles on the face, like frown lines, crow’s feet, and forehead lines. They are also commonly used to control sweating on the armpits. Please consult our dermatologist, Dr Liew, who can advise you on this treatment.
Scars from acne can cause social embarrassment and may be the cause of low self-esteem. Prevention and controlling your active acne is crucial in preventing scar formation. Our dermatologist will be able to assist you and give you the available options.
There is a variety of laser that can help to flatten your scars. However, you will need to know that no treatment can erase your scars. The laser that we can provide will be fractional carbon dioxide laser, which creates minute laser induced injury deep into your skin, which in turn will encourage new collagen to shrink your scars.
Treatment with laser every 1-2 months, for around 4-6 sessions will allow you to see the difference in your skin. Numbing cream and also painkillers will be given prior to the procedure. There will be some downtime between 3-7 days, varies between individuals. Sun protection before and after the procedure is crucial in preventing post-inflammatory darkening of your skin.
We would encourage you to be open about all the cosmetic treatments or topicals you have used so that our dermatologist can assess if you are suitable for this procedure.
Hair removal can be challenging especially in dark skinned individuals, as the risks can be high if the choice of laser is inappropriate.
Our dermatologist, Dr Liew, will advise on the type of lasers suitable for your skin type, expected number of treatments (depends on individuals and sites – between 4 to 10 treatments every 4-8 weeks), and the expected outcome.
The laser type that we utilize is the Diode laser, with effective and good safety profile.
Sun protection before and after laser treatment is crucial. Numbing cream can be applied to make this treatment more comfortable. Downtime is usually minimal.
Please do not pluck or wax your hair 2 weeks before, shave your hair 3-5 days before your appointment with our dermatologist.
Small flat moles can be removed using laser.
The laser recommended is carbon dioxide laser. Sun protection before and after laser treatment is crucial. Numbing cream can be applied to make this treatment more comfortable. Downtime with crusts on the skin is usually between 3-7 days.
Larger and bumpy moles are not encouraged to be removed with laser. Quite often, laser will not be able to go deep to remove the pigment cells that give rise the moles. Excision or shave excision can be arranged. The moles can be removed for histological examination under the microscope to rule out malignancy.
Pigmentation is a common problem for any of us living in the tropical climate, and especially in Asians. Many factors can contribute to pigmentations, e.g. lack of sun protection, hormonal pills, pregnancy, menopause, etc.
Two main forms of skin pigmentation is lentigo (superficial) and melasma (deep).
Depending on the types, our dermatologist who is well versed in this will be able to discuss the options available:
1. Oral supplements
2. Topical treatment, usually with short term hydroquinone, retinoid and peptide based.
3. Laser with combination of pigment laser, pulse dyed laser or intense pulsed light.
Sun protection before and after laser treatment is crucial. Numbing cream can be applied to make this treatment more comfortable. Downtime is usually minimal, except for pulsed dye laser where you may bruise for 3-10 days.
Redness on the skin, can be due to various reasons. Pulsed dye laser is one of the effective forms of treatment for vascular skin problems, by causing photocoagulation.
We can offer pulsed dye laser treatments for the following skin conditions:
– Rosacea
– Red scars
– Spider naevus
– Port wine stain
– Post-inflammatory redness, e.g. acne
Sun protection before and after laser treatment is crucial. Numbing cream can be applied to make this treatment more comfortable. In children, this laser treatment can be done with general anaesthesia if required. There may be some bruising following the laser, which can last from 3-10 days.
Skin surgeries that can be done in out-patient clinic include punch biopsy, shave excision, ellipse excision, electrocautery, and also nail surgery.
Our dermatologist, Dr Liew, will help you in making an informed decision on the most suitable treatment for you.
Living in a tropical climate and with the presence of air pollution, it is important to use some form of facial cream which suits your skin type.
Skin hydration with different properties such as hyaluronic acid, ceramide, vitamin C and E, etc is crucial.
Seek advice from your dermatologist if you are unsure.
Read MoreCertain texture of the creams may aggravate your underlying skin problems which you may not be aware of, for examples acne, rosacea, sebaceous hyperplasia etc.
You may want to consult your dermatologist for a recommendation on treating your underlying skin condition.
Read MoreYes, it is important to incorporate sunscreen application in your skin care routine in the morning, even if you will be staying indoors.
Ultraviolet A sun rays can penetrate windows and causes skin ageing. Sunscreen can be used from the
age of 6 months onwards, on any type of weather and skin type.
Sunscreen also comes in different texture and some may not suit your skin. Speak to your dermatologist to find out more.
Read MoreThese are mainly botulinum toxin injections and fillers injections. Botulinum toxin injection is used to help relax your facial muscles and therefore improve the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.
Fillers are used to fill up any volume loss on your face, for example the nasolabial folds, cheeks and temples, but if injected superficially it can help to hydrate and lift up your skin.
Quite often, both injections can be used simultaneously to improve your facial contour and texture.
Read MoreYes, they are usually safe.
Risks of asymmetry face features can occur in both types of injections. A droopy eyelid and mouth could happen and these side effects are usually temporary. There also risks of lumpiness, skin infections, blood vessels occlusion leading to damage of your skin cells and therefore scars, and rarely blindness.
As the effects of these injections usually last between 6-12 months, some of the side effects mentioned will improve with time and there are methods used to reverse these side effects.
Speak to your certified dermatologist if you would like to consider injections.
Read MoreYes, there are many alternatives. To lift your face and improve skin textures, ultherapy can be considered.
Lasers such as Vbeam, fractional laser, IPL, and Hydrafacials can also be used to improve your skin textures depending on the issues to be addressed.
Read MoreLaser is safe for majority of people with fair – olive skin. Individuals with dark skin may have higher risks of side effects/complications with laser because the laser light will be absorbed by the pigment cells in the cells, leading to burn scars and may develop pale patches on the skin. Please check with your dermatologist if you are unsure laser is suitable for your skin type.
Read MoreYou need to be upfront with your dermatologist about the cosmetic treatments you have received in the past, as well as any underlying medical conditions you may have. Undisclosed information may lead to complications. Your dermatologist will also advise on your skin care before starting laser treatment.
Sun protection is utmost important before and after laser treatment as it will impair healing of the skin and lead to darkening of skin after laser. If you plan to go on a holiday soon, please inform your dermatologist.
Read MoreNo. There are many other alternatives and laser should not always be the first line treatment in correcting or improving your skin condition. Speak to your dermatologist about your skin concern before deciding to go for laser treatment.
Read Morei. Hair removal laser with diode laser known as Primelase – safe and effective for fair and Asian skin type. At least 3 laser sessions are required to achieve satisfactory results.
ii. Pigment laser with Q-Switched Nd:YAG – combination treatment with medicated cream and oral supplements, will help to further improve the pigmentation, such as melasma, lentigines, naevus of Ota (birthmark), and can be used for skin rejuvenation.
iii. Fractional CO2 laser – is helpful in improving skin texture, acne scars, keloid scars and also removing benign skin lesions, such as seborrheic keratosis, viral warts etc.
iv. Pulsed dye laser, also known as V beam – is helping in any vascular skin problems, for example port wine stain (birthmark), red keloid scars, rosacea, etc.
Read MoreDiode lasers use a single wavelength of light that has a high abruption rate in melanin in the hair. As the melanin heats up it destroys the root and blood flow to the hair follicle disabling the hair growth permanently.
High quality laser hair removal machines such as the Primelase incorporate crystal freeze refrigeration contact cooling (+5ºC) to protect the surface of the skin, making the treatment a comfortable, pain-free experience for patients.
Diode lasers deliver high frequency, low fluence pulses and can be safely used on all skin types.
Read MoreIPL is technically not a laser treatment. It uses a broad spectrum of light with many wavelengths meaning it leads to unfocused energy around the hair and skin area.
As a result there is much wastage of energy and less selective absorption in the follicle resulting in less effective destruction of the hair and hence requires more sessions.
It also increases the potential for side effects such as burns or pigmentation. IPLs are typically only suitable for lighter skin types, and not safe for dark skinned individuals.
Read MoreShave your hair about 3 days before your appointment. Avoid tanning. Apply regular soothing moisturiser prescribed by your dermatologist and apply sunscreen after laser.
Read MoreThis is because your mole has deep seated pigment cells and they usually present as a raised pigmented bump on your skin, known as compound melanocytic naevus.
Laser will not penetrate deep enough to get rid of such moles hence it is likely to recur.
Read MoreFor the reason explained, surgical excision can be done under local anaesthesia.
Surgical excision cuts around the mole and there will be stitches. The amount of sutures depends on the size and also the site of your mole. It usually takes around 30-60 mins for the procedure.
Shave excision can be considered but the risk of recurrence is also high because the pigment cells are not completely removed by just shaving the top of the mole off.
Read MoreFirst of all, do not pick on your scabs, which will form right after laser. Avoid excessive sun exposure before and after laser. You can use soothing moisturiser and sunscreen given by your dermatologist.
It will take between 5-10days for the scab to come off. Allow it to heal naturally.
Read MoreIn any lasers, the risks are blister, burn, swelling & bruising, scars, keloid scars, skin infection, skin discolouration (usually temporary and sometimes permanent), recurrence.
Sometimes, more than 1 session may be needed to get rid of the mole (depending on the energy used, size and depth of the mole).
Read MoreIt is usually safe but the doctor who handles the laser needs to know what kind of pigmentation you have as not all skin pigmentation will do well with laser treatment.
Laser treatment usually works well for superficial pigmentation, for example sun freckles.
As for the deeper type of pigmentation, known as melasma, it is not easy to amend with laser and there may be complications from it – usually cause darkening or patchy lightening of the pigmentation. In these melasma cases, topical and supplements can be taken safely to improve pigmentation.
Hence it is important to see a certified dermatologist to get an accurate diagnosis and effective treatment.
Read MoreThere is no set number of sessions required to get rid of freckles. Every individual’s skin is different and different freckle depths require different settings and number of sessions to achieve a satisfactory result. For some, only 1 session is sufficient, and for others can be between 3-6 sessions.
Read MoreThe diagnosis is likely to be naevus of Ota, which is a congenital birthmark with its pigment cells lying deep into your skin.
Q-switched Nd: YAG or picolaser can help to lighten your birthmark but it usually require at least 10 sessions to see improvement.
However, you should know the results is not permanent and no single treatment method can erase any form of skin pigmentation. Laser can only help to lighten your skin and it may recur in future.
Read MoreSee a certified dermatologist for a proper diagnosis. One should avoid topical steroid. It is likely that you have rosacea. There are various topical and oral treatment (antibiotics) that help to shut down the superficial blood vessels on your skin temporarily.
For more sustainable results, you may want to consider pulsed dye laser which can be done 1-2 times per year.
Read MoreThe commonly used laser for vascular skin problems is pulsed dye laser, which helps to constrict and coagulate your superficial blood vessels.
Expected side effects is downtime of up to 10 days with bruising on the skin and this is expected in most patients. Just like any other laser, the risks are blister, burn, swelling, scars, keloid scars, skin infection, skin discolouration (usually temporary and sometimes permanent), recurrence.
Sometimes, more than 1 session may be needed to improve the appearance.
Read MoreQuite often, an active keloid scar that is itchy will have redness and sometimes superficial blood vessels can be seen over the scar.
In addition to steroid injection to reduce the inflammation, pulsed dye laser can be administered to further improve the colour and reduce the growth of your keloid scar. It is highly recommended to have combined treatment.
Read MoreSpeak to a qualified paediatric dermatologist who can help you assess your child’s skin and give him/her the right diagnosis.
It is likely that your child has either port wine stain or infantile haemagioma.
Port wine stain is usually a large flat pink/red patch – which pulsed dye laser can be used to lighten the
skin colour. It can be done as young as 1 month old, and when the child is active, the child can be sedated for this laser to be performed.
As for infantile haemangioma, laser is only indicated if there is ulceration of the haemangioma, as there are other better treatment options such as topical timolol or oral propranolol. Discuss with our paediatric dermatologist for further information.
Read MoreSkin biopsy is a procedure usually done under local anaesthesia to determine the diagnosis of your skin presentation.
The procedure is usually referred to as punch biopsy where a pencil-like instrument with a sharp round edge at one end, measuring between 2-8mm in diameter (4mm is commonly used) to obtain a skin tissue for diagnosis.
The specimen is then sent to be looked at under the microscope to assist your dermatologist on the diagnosis. A stitch will be placed to close up the wound made and you may be left with a tiny scar.
Read MoreElectrocautery means using low voltage electric current tip to gently burn the unwanted skin growths. The treated skin will be charred and quite often your dermatologist will scrape the charred skin again and repeat the electrocatery, known as curettage and electrocautery.
Common skin conditions treated using this method are seborrheic keratoses, sebaceous hyperplasia, cherry angioma, spider naevus, actinic keratosis, viral warts, and also sometimes superficial pre-cancerous or skin cancer lesions such as Bowen’s disease and superficial basal cell carcinoma.
Read MoreIf you need to travel or any important event coming up, e.g. marathon, please inform your dermatologist as you will have stitches and wound which require sometime to heal, approximately 7-14 days.
As for the skin care post surgery, listen to your dermatologist on using the right dressing and topical moisturiser/antibiotics. Avoid using any harsh antiseptic to clean your wound.
Shower is generally allowed but not bathing. You are not encouraged to keep your wound moist hence avoid any water activities or excessive sweating. For larger wound and especially on the lower limbs, you may need to have bed rest for 24-48 hours.
If the wound is on your back, chest or upper limbs, you are not allowed to lift heavy things and avoid strenuous exercise.
Please adhere to your dermatologist and nurses’ advice on wound care and to contact them if any problem arises.
Read More
Dr. Liew Hui Min is an accredited consultant dermatologist from the Ministry of Health and the General Medical Council UK. Her clinical interest includes paediatric dermatology, women’s dermatology and general adult dermatology. Having trained in major London Hospitals, Dr Liew returned to Singapore in 2014 as a Consultant at KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital (KKH) where she specialised in paediatric, women, obstetric and vulva dermatology. Currently, Dr Liew practices at SOG – HM Liew Skin & Laser Clinic located at Gleneagles Hospital.
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Dr Liew and Team does everything to make you feel comfortable and taken care of.
Dr Liew Hui Min is dually accredited with the Ministry of Health and the General Medical Council (UK) as a dermatologist.
Come visit our clinics, which are equipped with modern and updated dermatology equipment, and a team that will take care of all your needs.
Get the care you deserve, and know how much you’re paying for our services upfront. We offer fair and transparent pricing. Speak to us to find out more.
Aftercare is an important aspect of treatment, expect a consistent quality of care from our team to ensure your well being.
Gleneagles Medical Centre
6 Napier Road, #06-01
Singapore 258499
Clinic Hours:
Monday, Tuesday, Thursday & Friday
8am to 1pm
2pm to 5pm
Wednesday and Saturday
8am to 12pm
Contact Information
T: +65 6254 6646
F: +65 6259 9853
