Vascular Spot Laser Treatment

Benign vascular spots such as cherry angiomas, Campbell de Morgan spots and small haemangiomas are common and usually harmless, but they can be cosmetically bothersome or prone to catching, bleeding or irritation. Visible facial broken capillaries (telangiectasia) and rosacea-related vessels are equally treatable with the same technology.

At The Skin Doctor, we provide doctor-led laser treatment for selected vascular lesions, with a simple guiding principle: accurate diagnosis first, careful treatment second. Because vascular lesions vary in depth, behaviour and appearance, a medical assessment is essential before any laser is used.

If your concern is background redness or flushing rather than individual spots, see the merged Rosacea hub — vascular laser is the most durable treatment for the visible-vessel component of rosacea.

What are vascular spots?

Vascular spots are benign collections of superficial blood vessels within the skin. The most common types we treat:

• Cherry angiomas — small, bright red or purple vascular bumps that become more common with age.
• Campbell de Morgan spots — another name for larger or more dome-shaped cherry angiomas.
• Small haemangiomas — benign vascular growths often present from childhood, or occasionally appearing later in life.
• Telangiectasia (broken capillaries) — visible clusters of small, dilated blood vessels, most commonly on the face, around the nose and cheeks.

These lesions are generally harmless, but many people seek treatment for cosmetic reasons or because the lesion bleeds, catches, grows or becomes irritated.

Why a doctor-led consultation matters

Before treating any vascular lesion with laser, your doctor will:

• take a medical history, including medications, anticoagulants and relevant skin conditions
• examine the lesion to confirm it is benign
• assess your skin type and risk of pigmentation or scarring
• determine whether laser is appropriate — or whether monitoring, biopsy or referral is the right pathway
• discuss the expected number of treatments
• explain downtime, aftercare and cost

If a lesion appears suspicious or atypical, laser treatment will not be performed and appropriate medical follow-up will be advised instead. This is the most important step in the pathway — vascular and pigmented skin cancers can occasionally mimic benign vascular spots, and lasering them risks both diagnostic delay and worse cosmetic outcomes.

How the laser works

The long-pulsed 1064 nm Nd:YAG laser delivers controlled energy that is selectively absorbed by haemoglobin (the pigment in blood). This gently heats and collapses the targeted vessel while leaving surrounding skin largely unaffected.

The 1064 nm Nd:YAG wavelength is widely used in medical practice for vascular work because:

• it penetrates deeper than shorter vascular wavelengths — useful for deeper or more resistant vascular lesions
• it can safely treat a broader range of vessel types and sizes
• it has the best safety profile of any vascular wavelength in darker Fitzpatrick skin types, when delivered with conservative settings

Laser parameters — fluence, pulse duration, spot size — are carefully selected based on lesion type and depth, vessel size and colour, your skin tone, and treatment location. This individualised approach maximises effectiveness while prioritising safety.

What to expect during treatment

On the day. The skin is cleansed and protective eyewear is applied. Precise pulses of laser light are delivered to the lesion. You may feel a brief snapping or warm sensation. Cooling may be used depending on the device. Many small vascular spots require only a few pulses.

After treatment. It is common to experience temporary redness, mild swelling, darkening or greying of the treated spot, and light crusting as the lesion resolves. These effects usually settle over several days. Most patients return to normal activities immediately unless advised otherwise.

How many treatments are needed?

This depends on lesion type and depth:

• small cherry angiomas — often 1–2 sessions
• flat vascular spots — 1–3 sessions
• deeper or thicker haemangiomas — may require multiple sessions
• broken capillaries — often treated in a staged series

Your specific plan is confirmed at the consultation.

Medicare and vascular laser

In certain clinical circumstances, vascular laser treatment of head/neck vascular abnormalities may be eligible for a Medicare rebate under item 14100.

Key points:

• eligibility depends on your individual clinical presentation and whether MBS criteria are met
• not all vascular laser treatments are rebatable
• patients who have reached the Extended Medicare Safety Net threshold may find Medicare contributes a higher proportion of the cost of eligible services for the remainder of the calendar year
• no guarantees can be made prior to assessment

The Rosacea hub contains a more detailed Medicare 14100 explainer for the persistent-redness pathway — it applies in the same way for individual vascular spots on the head and neck.

Risks and considerations

All medical laser treatments carry risks. Possible risks include:

• temporary darkening of the lesion
• redness or swelling
• mild blistering or crusting
• post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation (more common in darker skin types and after sun exposure)
• recurrence of vascular lesions over time, or formation of new vascular spots elsewhere
• rarely, scarring

Strict sun protection is recommended after treatment to reduce pigmentation risk.

Is laser suitable for all skin types?

Laser treatment for vascular lesions is generally safest in lighter skin types, but long-pulsed 1064 nm Nd:YAG is the safest vascular wavelength for medium-to-darker skin tones when used cautiously — with longer pulse durations, lower fluences and a test-spot approach. Patients in this group are often reviewed via our Skin of Colour Clinic pathway.

Book a vascular spot assessment

If you have a vascular spot, cherry angioma or facial broken capillary you would like assessed, the booking panel in the sidebar takes you to the consultation appointment.

You may also find these helpful:

• Rosacea hub → — for background redness, flushing and rosacea-related vessels
• Laser facial & leg veins → — for larger facial spider veins and leg telangiectasia up to 3 mm
• Skin of Colour Clinic → — for vascular work in melanin-rich skin
• Pigmentation consultation → — for combined vascular and pigment concerns
• Face treatments hub →
• About The Skin Doctor →