The Versatile Vbeam® Prima: A New Generation Offers Even Better Results

The Vbeam laser from Candela is the most used device by me in my office—it's my number one device for photoaging and rejuvenation, for rosacea, for port wine stains, and red scars—which are how most scars start—spider angiomas or nevus araneus, and cherry angiomas. It's my go-to device for almost everything but hair removal, tattoos, and body contouring.

I was an investigator on the initial studies for the Vbeam Perfecta and have been using the device for more than 12 years. It's been the gold standard pulsed-dye laser because it is safe, easy to use, and offers a wide variety of treatment spot sizes, pulse widths, and treatment indications. And now, the new generation Vbeam Prima offers physicians an even more effective and reliable device for aesthetic practices.

The Vbeam Prima is not just a minor upgrade to the Vbeam platform—it's an entire redesign of the laser head, which allows the device to offer more energy, more fluence, a larger spot size, and most importantly, greater reliability. The new Vbeam Prima offers dual wavelengths—595nm and the additional 1064nm—and cooling—the patented Dynamic Cooling Device and the new EverCool Contact Cooling with Sapphire Tip. The redesigned device allows for more treatment capabilities and additional comfort.

Figures 1a-5a. Basline. Figures 1b-5b, Two-month follow-up post four treatments

Treatment Advances

The 595nm wavelength has 50 percent more energy for faster, more efficient treatments. The maximum spot size has increased from 12mm to 15mm and the maximum energy from 8J to 12J. Not only can you use a 15mm diameter treatment beam—which is enormous—to treat people more quickly, but more importantly, the way the light is delivered into the skin seems much more even with the large Vbeam diameter. I think this has allowed me to see even greater and better clinical responses in the patients we've been treating with the Vbeam Prima. And, of course, more effective and efficient treatments typically mean even more satisfied patients.

For some physicians, there may be concern that when using bigger beam diameters, the dye kits will be used up more quickly, but with the Prima, this has not been a problem. The dye life is longer with this laser than its predecessor, and the new system offers a dye life meter so that physicians can plan for replacement in advance. The device only requires once-daily calibration, which helps save time when needing to change treatment parameters throughout a treatment or between patients.

Looking back at the original study I published in 2008, showing favorable safety and efficacy of the Vbeam Perfecta for the treatment of rosacea compared to earlier generation pulsed dye laser treatment, it's amazing to think about how advanced the Perfecta was, and how well it has served my practice all this time. And, yet, the Vbeam Prima manages to be an improvement over the Vbeam Perfecta. To me, the Vbeam is the single safest device on the market that really works—it's a sophisticated, easy-to-use machine.

The Vbeam in Practice

Patient satisfaction with treatment is high, and for most treatments patients are not required to follow any special pre- or post-care instructions. The number of treatments is really a function of who and what you're treating, and it varies by patient. The treatment itself should not be too uncomfortable to most patients and does not typically require any topical numbing cream. I describe the treatment to patients as “annoying.” It's not a massage, but it's very tolerable. It depends on the patient, depends on the fluence, and on what you're treating.

Patients should be told to expect some puffiness and rarely bruising post-treatment. Puffiness can last a day or two, typically, although it can last longer. And bruising, if it occurs, can be hard to hide for the first four days, and usually persists for a week to 10 days. Again, it depends on who and what you're treating. For example, if you're treating port-wine stains, you want to see bruising or purpura, but if you're treating rosacea, and start to see that, it may be best to reduce the energy level. Patients will continue to see results for about a month or more post-treatment, and the need for follow-up treatments should be assessed then.

Top of the Class

The Vbeam is one of the most versatile lasers available, and its effectiveness and safety sets it apart from many other devices on the market. The Vbeam is an excellent option for all aesthetic practices and will be the go-to treatment option for a variety of indications every day. It's my most used device!