Review (with pictures): Excel V Laser for rosacea treatment and facial redness - Emily Jane Johnston (2024)

Review (with pictures): Excel V Laser for rosacea treatment and facial redness - Emily Jane Johnston (1)

Review (with pictures): Excel V Laser for rosacea treatment and facial redness - Emily Jane Johnston (2)

This is a review of the Excel V Laser, which I had done in June 2018 at Medicetics in London, from Dr. Vicky Dondos.

I am a firm believer in doing whatever you need to do to feel good about you, within reason. Magazines, influencers, the world in general, all do a pretty good job of telling us what the general accepted definition of beauty is and all too often many of us can get wrapped up in that and take it to an unhealthy level. Although I’m aware even saying that sounds somewhat pretentious. Basically, talking about any sort of beauty these days is dangerous. It’s all about keeping us young, fresh as daisies and pure as snow. The fact is, you can’t freeze time. And I, for one, am trying my best to age as gracefully as possible without going overboard. It’s a fine line we walk these days isn’t it? One step too far with the injections and you’re labelled as a plastic surgery addict, too few and people say you’ve given up. At the end of the day, you need to make you happy. And I’m all for doing whatever you need to do to achieve your own happiness. Screw the judgement. Just do you.

Now, let’s talk Excel V, because it’s something I wanted to do to fix a problem that has truly bugged me since I was a teenager and now there’s a new solution on the block to make it disappear. You bet your bottom dollar I’m the first one in line to get this taken care of.

Since I got my first round of acne, at the age of 13, I’ve always been an epic sufferer of rosacea. Over the years, and after dozens of dermatologists, creams and facials, I finally managed to come to terms with treating the rosacea itself. However, two decades of flare ups have left my skin looking like I’m someone who sips a bottle of whiskey every night. For those of you that don’t know – alcohol does absolute destroy your face. Alcoholics often have terrible veins around their nose and on their cheeks because of the habit. Yes, that’s a word of warning for the young readers. Be careful with alcohol consumption!

So, on a routine visit to see Dr. Vicky Dondos, we started talking about treatment for the veins on my face. Medicetics, Dondos’ clinic in London, was the first clinic in the UK to get the new Excel V laser and this was the first time a right fit had popped up for my particular problem.

Before, we get into the laser, let’s pinpoint the problem head-on. First of all, my facial redness is not as bad as many others. In fact, on a scale of one to ten it’s on the lower side. But, I have some serious problems with sweating around my face (charming, I know), so wearing makeup is very difficult for me. As this is the case, I’m always hunting for any option that means I won’t have to wear anything more than under eye concealer. Getting rid of these veins on my cheeks would give me that opportunity so I was open to anything.

Having worked with Dr. Dondos for years, I was very lucky that she knew I had VERY sensitive skin. I only say this now because, as you will see later, the reaction I had to the laser is not normal. But, I’m working with a doctor that knows my medical history inside and out and it allowed us both to plan for the worst. I cannot stress enough how important this is. Find a doctor you trust and stick with them. Your doctor knowing your history and knowing you personally can put you ahead in so many ways. Please trust me on this.

Now, for the laser. What’s different about the Excel V?

Well, for starters, this is the first laser where the results are pretty much immediate. For anyone that’s had laser before, you’ll probably remember that the old lasers required several treatments to achieve anything. The Excel V does it’s job in one to two treatments. If you follow me on stories, when I was recording the whole thing live for instagram, you could actually see when the laser was striping the vein from my face. It was amazing to watch afterwards (ps… it’s still in story highlights in Beauty if you want to watch it all go down in real time). This laser is also virtually pain free. It’s basically like someone is snapping a light rubber band on your face. Sure, it’s uncomfortable, but not terrible. Basically if I can sit through it, anyone can. Another plus point is that it only takes about 10-15 minutes and you’re out the door. So all in, this is easy peasy. Here’s a look at the treatment in the doctor’s office. It begins with a numbing cream just to keep things as pain free as possible and it follows with what I call ten minutes of “zapping.” Then you’re done.

Review (with pictures): Excel V Laser for rosacea treatment and facial redness - Emily Jane Johnston (3)

Review (with pictures): Excel V Laser for rosacea treatment and facial redness - Emily Jane Johnston (4)

Review (with pictures): Excel V Laser for rosacea treatment and facial redness - Emily Jane Johnston (5)

Review (with pictures): Excel V Laser for rosacea treatment and facial redness - Emily Jane Johnston (6)

For most people, that’s the hardest part. They go in, have a little redness and light swelling and are on their feet and ready to tackle the world the next day. For me, however, the down time is not minimal. I cannot stress enough that THIS IS NOT NORMAL for the Excel V. I am an extreme case and, in fact, Dr. Dondos has said she’s never seen anyone react like me. So let’s mark this as absolute worst case scenario, ok? Prepare yourself. This is the aftermath. It took me 72 hours before I was absolutely normal, but I only kept myself out of the public eye for one day after and you’ll see why.

Right After:

Review (with pictures): Excel V Laser for rosacea treatment and facial redness - Emily Jane Johnston (7)

Obviously there is immediate redness. You’ve just had your skin worked on!

One Hour After:

Review (with pictures): Excel V Laser for rosacea treatment and facial redness - Emily Jane Johnston (8)

The redness is gone, and there is minimal swelling

Morning After:

Review (with pictures): Excel V Laser for rosacea treatment and facial redness - Emily Jane Johnston (9)

Yup, this is when it gets bad for me. I woke up with skin that was so swollen and mad at me that I knew the day would be a write off. Sorry about the scary picture, but I want to be absolutely clear here about the results and the side effects. Also….how unlucky am I that my skin is this sensitive? Don’t worry… it gets better!

The next night:

Review (with pictures): Excel V Laser for rosacea treatment and facial redness - Emily Jane Johnston (10)

Peak swelling. This is the worst that it gets!

48 Hours After:

Review (with pictures): Excel V Laser for rosacea treatment and facial redness - Emily Jane Johnston (11)

The next morning I wake up and things are nearly back to normal. This is two days in! And you can see that all veins and surrounding redness have gone!

72 Hours After:

Review (with pictures): Excel V Laser for rosacea treatment and facial redness - Emily Jane Johnston (12)

Completely back to normal and there is no redness, no swelling and I couldn’t be happier with the results!

Now, we are two months on, all the swelling has completely disappeared, foundation is a thing of the past and I couldn’t be happier. The only thing I absolutely have to swear by is sunscreen. Dr. Dondos made me swear up and down that I’d wear it daily and keep my face out of the sun – which I should have been doing already. But now, I am religious about this. I wear factor 50 every single day and I no longer sit with my face to the sun for hours on end. I am, after all, approaching 40 and need to take to this whole skincare idea a little more seriously. This was my first official step and I couldn’t be happier.

If you have any problem with redness, I couldn’t recommend this enough. At least go in and talk to the team at Medicetics. Dr. Vicky Dondos will never lead you astray. She’s there to bring out the best in us and she’s like the little whispered secret around London’s skin goddesses. Well I’m not whispering anymore. I’m proud to call her my skin guru and you know I’m a lady who loves to share.

To get in touch with Vicky Dondos visithttps://www.medicetics.com/

UPDATE: I’m writing this in January 2022, 18 months after the initial treatment. I am pleased to report that the results have held up. 99% of the treatment results remain. I only have the slightest tinge of red in one place that is barely noticeable and has only just made a return this past month. The rest is history! I’ve gone back to see the team at Medicetics several times over the past 18 months and we are all VERY pleased with the results. Only now I’m getting yelled at, and rightfully so, for being the worst person ever when it comes to wearing SPF as a 40 year old woman. Yup, brown spots are setting in and it’s my next skin treatment to tackle! So check back in as it looks like I’ve got a new battle ahead. At least the rosacea suffering is well and truly in my past!

Note: This is not a paid advertisem*nt. I see Vicky regularly as part of my personal skincare regime and trust her implicitly and am simply passing on the love…. I hate that we have to say that these days, but I’m putting it out there regardless.

First Written on Jul 19, 2018

Updated January 20, 2022

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Review (with pictures): Excel V Laser for rosacea treatment and facial redness - Emily Jane Johnston (2024)

FAQs

Is Excel V good for rosacea? ›

Excel V has been shown effective at treating a number of conditions, including rosacea, telangiectasias, leg veins, port wine stains, and cherry angiomas. Excel V treats mild and severe forms of these conditions.

Can Excel v make rosacea worse? ›

It is rare for rosacea to flare from PDL and Excel V laser unless the skin was burned. IPL has the ability to flare the rosacea. I typically tell my laser patients to avoid any triggers and use only physical sunblocks post treatment.

Which laser is best for rosacea? ›

CO2 Lasers and erbium YAG lasers– These lasers are typically used to repair or reshape skin that has been damaged by rosacea. This may be a great option for patients who have scarring or excess skin buildup due to chronic rosacea flare-ups.

What is the best laser treatment for facial redness? ›

The Vbeam pulsed dye laser is best for reduction in overall redness, flushing and very small veins. We often combine this treatment with the GentleYag laser for treatment of larger facial veins.

Does Excel V work? ›

The Cutera Excel V is effective at treating a number of conditions on men and women of all skin tones. The laser treats blue veins around the eyes, blue, red or purple spider veins of the legs, benign pigmented lesions and sun-damaged areas of skin that are tan or brown.

What should not do after Excel V? ›

Avoid heat including exercise, hot tubs/saunas and direct sun exposure for 48 hours. Avoid skin irritants such as skin care products with vitamin C, tretinoin, retinol, glycolic/salicylic acids, benzoyl peroxide, astringents etc. until redness/swelling clears.

How long do Excel V results last? ›

Answer: Excel V

Your skin creates new blood vessels over time and most patients will have an Excel V treatment performed for overall redness, every 2 years or so. However, for small, distinctive blood vessels, they may go away & stay away.

Is Excel V better than IPL? ›

Why Intense Pulsed Light (IPL) is not ideal for treating Varicose or Spider Veins. IPL treatment has a few downsides that make it less preferable than the Excel V for most treatments. It is generally less effective and sometimes causes skin pigmentation to get darker, especially in Asian and darker skinned patients.

How long does Excel V take to work? ›

Results: Improvement typically can be seen a 2-6 weeks after the first treatment. For leg vein treatment, 2-4 treatment sessions are expected.

What is the best brand for rosacea? ›

15 skin care products derms and shoppers swear by for rosacea flare-ups
  • Aveeno Ultra Calming Foaming Cleanser. ...
  • Paula's Choice Skin Recovery Facial Cleanser. ...
  • Vanicream Free and Clear Liquid Cleanser. ...
  • Cetaphil Skin Cleanser. ...
  • CeraVe Hydrating Facial Cleanser. ...
  • La Roche-Posay Toleriane Double Repair Face Moisturizer.
10 Jun 2022

Does laser really work for rosacea? ›

Laser treatment can also reduce redness. In a few small studies, lasers were used to treat permanent redness on the face or the redness surrounding acne-like blemishes. Some patients saw a considerable reduction in redness. Most patients, however, had about a 20% reduction in redness.

Can laser worsen rosacea? ›

Laser treatments are a good alternative to the medications doctors usually prescribe for rosacea. In one study, 50% of participants had improved symptoms after going through YAG laser treatment. Another study showed how pulsed-dye laser therapy for rosacea was “worthwhile” for all the study's participants.

Does rosacea come back after laser treatment? ›

The effects of Vbeam laser treatment aren't permanent. Rosacea is a chronic condition that progresses with age and sun exposure. Redness and visible veins will continue to appear, but a treatment session every one to two years should lessen those symptoms.

How do I permanently get rid of rosacea? ›

The symptoms of rosacea can come and go, and there's no permanent cure for this issue. However, with proper treatment and by taking good care of your skin, it's possible to control and manage this condition. The right combination of therapies can minimize your symptoms and help you achieve healthier skin.

What treatment is best for rosacea? ›

Your doctor may prescribe an oral antibiotic such as doxycycline (Oracea, others) for moderate to severe rosacea with bumps and pimples. Oral acne drug. If you have severe rosacea that doesn't respond to other therapies, your doctor may suggest isotretinoin (Amnesteem, Claravis, others).

Is Excel V laser permanent? ›

“This has earned Excel V a reputation as the laser that wows.” However, results aren't permanent, and touch-up treatments every one to three years may be necessary to maintain them.

How many Excel V treatments are needed? ›

Typically, 4-6 treatment sessions are required for results to be seen. Patients with lighter-colored hair (other than black) may require more treatment sessions with higher settings to see effective results. Due to the size of the handpiece, we are only able to treat small areas.

Is Excel V permanent? ›

Relying on at-home skincare to remedy redness and broken blood vessels, patients usually resort to simply masking the problem. Excel V offers a more permanent solution that will allow you to enjoy clearer, healthier skin, even without makeup.

What is the most common mistakes with Excel? ›

10 Common Excel Mistakes to Avoid
  • Dates Formatted as Text. ...
  • External Links. ...
  • Formatting Whole Columns/Rows. ...
  • Formatting to Encode Data. ...
  • Formatting Colours. ...
  • Multiple Records in One Cell. ...
  • Sum Ranges Omitting Cells. ...
  • Using . xls File Type.
30 Sept 2021

What are the risks of using Excel? ›

Top 3 Risks of Using Spreadsheets for Data Management
  • Spreadsheet tools have size and performance limits. When a spreadsheet gets too large or complex for Excel to handle, its performance can be significantly affected. ...
  • You can lose all your work due to one mistake. ...
  • Spreadsheets don't save you any time.
1 Feb 2022

Is Excel worth it? ›

Is Excel worth learning in 2022? Definitely! Many business, accounting, finance, and similar majors learn to use Microsoft Excel as part of their curriculum, but most degree programs do not. Those who have been in the workforce for a long time may never have had the chance to improve their Excel skills.

How much is Excel V laser? ›

How Much Does Excel V treatment Cost? Excel V cost varies depending on the size of the area and the condition being treated. It can range from $100 to $800 per treatment. During your consultation our high level medical staff will customize your treatment needs and disclose final pricing.

Does Excel v build collagen? ›

excel V handpieces

The Genesis V™ handpiece releases either the 532 or 1064 nm Nd:YAG laser energy in micropulses that gently and safely target microvasculature to stimulate the process of creating more collagen, thus improving the appearance of wrinkles and other noticeable signs of aging.

Is IPL or laser better for rosacea? ›

IPL is best used to remove freckles and dark spots and for rosacea skin care, or other red or flushed areas on fair skin. Laser therapy is generally better on darker skin tones and is effective at removing undesirable hair and deeper wrinkles.

Is Excel V FDA approved? ›

The Excel V laser was FDA-approved in 2010, and since then has an excellent safety record. It can be used for many different conditions on virtually any body area.

Is Excel V better than V beam? ›

The Excel V has now replaced the VBeam as the Gold Standard for treating all vascular lesions. It's safe, diverse (2 lasers), and gives more effective treatments, making it an easy choice for both patients and physicians.

Why is Excel acting so slow? ›

The first and most common sign of Excel running very slow is that it is processing slow. It is taking too much time to process the operations you are doing in your Excel sheet. The reasons why your Excel processing is slow can be because of Array formulas or volatile functions you are using.

How often can you do Excel V? ›

MAINTENANCE: 1-3 treatments. Rosacea and patients with facial redness will require multiple treatments (3-5). Once desired results are achieved, maintenance treatments are recommended 1-2 times per year.

Does Excel V cause bruising? ›

What should I expect after the treatment? Bruising, redness and swelling are common after the treatment and will resolve after a few days. It is vital that you use a broad spectrum (UVA/UVB) sunscreen of SPF30 or higher and avoid excessive sun exposure.

What is the fastest way to get rid of rosacea? ›

There isn't a cure for rosacea, but treatments can help you manage the redness, bumps, and other symptoms. Your doctor may suggest these medicines: Brimonidine (Mirvaso), a gel that tightens blood vessels in the skin to get rid of some of your redness.

What is the biggest trigger for rosacea? ›

Sunlight and hairspray are common rosacea triggers. Other common triggers include heat, stress, alcohol, and spicy foods.
...
Knowing what triggers your flare-ups and making some simple changes can help you:
  • Reduce flares.
  • Get better results from treatment.
  • Prevent rosacea from worsening.

What should you not use on your face if you have rosacea? ›

Reduce rosacea flare-ups.
...
To reduce the likelihood of a buying a product that will irritate your skin, you want to avoid anything that contains:
  • Alcohol.
  • Camphor.
  • Fragrance.
  • Glycolic acid.
  • Lactic acid.
  • Menthol.
  • Sodium laurel sulfate (often found in shampoos and toothpaste)
  • Urea.

Has anyone gotten rid of rosacea? ›

Overview. Rosacea is a common skin condition that affects an estimated 16 million Americans, according to the American Academy of Dermatology. Currently, there's no known cure for rosacea.

What types of things worsens rosacea? ›

The most frequently reported triggers implicated in rosacea include alcohol, spicy food, cinnamaldehyde-containing foods (e.g., tomatoes, citrus fruits, chocolate), hot drinks, and histamine-rich foods (e.g., aged cheese, wine, processed meats).

Do Broken capillaries come back after laser? ›

While the treated vessels usually do not recur, patients who have the tendency to develop unwanted blood vessels in their skin will likely do so again in the future. Periodic maintenance treatments are usually recommended. Scarring after laser treatment of facial or leg veins is very uncommon but can occur.

How long will I stay redness after laser treatment? ›

The redness in the laser-treated sites generally fades in two to three months but may take as long as six months to up to a year to disappear. The redness generally persists longer in people with blonde or red hair.

What is the root cause of rosacea? ›

The cause of rosacea is unknown, but it could be due to an overactive immune system, heredity, environmental factors or a combination of these. Rosacea is not caused by poor hygiene and it's not contagious. Flare-ups might be triggered by: Hot drinks and spicy foods.

How I got rid of my rosacea naturally? ›

Lifestyle changes for rosacea

Eat more anti-inflammatory foods such as kale, ginger, and avocados, that are high in antioxidants and B vitamins such as niacinamide. Wear sunscreen regularly, or whenever you go outside, to prevent rosacea flare-ups from sun exposure and UV rays.

Is rosacea an autoimmune disorder? ›

In rosacea the inflammation is targeted to the sebaceous oil glands, so that is why it is likely described as an autoimmune disease.”

What is Excel V laser good for? ›

The excel® V Laser System is a new and state-of-the-art laser technology for treating vascular skin conditions such as Rosacea, spider veins and telangiectasia and pigmented lesions including sunspots. Excel® V can be altered to be compatible with each patient's skin condition.

What is the strongest medicine for rosacea? ›

If you have severe rosacea that doesn't respond to other therapies, your doctor may suggest isotretinoin (Amnesteem, Claravis, others). It's a powerful oral acne drug that also helps clear up acnelike lesions of rosacea.

What products should you not use with rosacea? ›

Reduce rosacea flare-ups.
...
To reduce the likelihood of a buying a product that will irritate your skin, you want to avoid anything that contains:
  • Alcohol.
  • Camphor.
  • Fragrance.
  • Glycolic acid.
  • Lactic acid.
  • Menthol.
  • Sodium laurel sulfate (often found in shampoos and toothpaste)
  • Urea.

What is the most effective treatment for rosacea? ›

Metronidazole. Metronidazole is an antibiotic drug that reduces inflammation. It is very commonly used in the treatment of rosacea. Metronidazole products are applied to the affected areas of skin once or twice a day in the form of a cream, lotion or gel.

What laser does Jennifer Aniston use? ›

"I love Clear and Brilliant laser treatments," says Aniston, who told InStyle that she loves this 30-minute, non-invasive resurfacing laser treatment because it "is a great refresher and there's very little downtime." And she assures that "it won't make you look like a peeled tomato." She's also a big fan of Thermage, ...

How long does Excel V laser last? ›

Sometimes an anesthetic cream is applied to the skin before the procedure to help relieve discomfort during the procedure. There is usually no pain after the treatment. The treatment sessions generally last 10-30 minutes, but can vary depending on the size of the area being treated.

What is the fastest way to reduce rosacea redness? ›

How To Reduce Redness On Face?
  1. Cool Water Bath or Cold Compress. For heat, sunburn or rosacea-related redness, a cool bath helps to bring the rash down. ...
  2. Salicylic Acid or Glycolic Acid Peels. ...
  3. Sunscreen. ...
  4. Aloe Vera. ...
  5. Cucumber Slices. ...
  6. Choose Fragrance-Free Products. ...
  7. Changing Your Lifestyle. ...
  8. Medication Related Redness.
29 Aug 2022

What is the newest treatment for rosacea? ›

On April 25, 2022, EPSOLAY®, a collaboration between Sol-Gel Technologies and Galderma, became the newest FDA-approved treatment for mild-to-moderate rosacea. EPSOLAY® contains a proprietary encapsulated cream formulation of benzoyl peroxide 5%.

What foods worsen rosacea? ›

Results. The most frequently reported triggers implicated in rosacea include alcohol, spicy food, cinnamaldehyde-containing foods (e.g., tomatoes, citrus fruits, chocolate), hot drinks, and histamine-rich foods (e.g., aged cheese, wine, processed meats).

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