Vascular and ablative laser treatments in Canberra

What laser treatments are offered?

Vascular laser produces light at a wavelength that is absorbed by the red pigment in blood far more than by the surrounding skin. When a pulse hits a small vessel, the blood inside heats within a fraction of a second, the vessel wall is damaged, and the body clears it away over the following weeks. The skin above and around the vessel is protected by a burst of cooling delivered with each pulse. CVLM uses a TGA-registered vascular laser for this work.

Ablative laser does something different. It delivers energy that is absorbed by water in the skin, so it vaporises tissue in a precisely controlled layer. Used on a benign lesion under local anaesthetic, it removes the lesion without cutting or stitches. CVLM uses a TGA-registered Class 4 ablative laser, which is why laser eye protection is worn by everyone in the room.

CVLM does not offer fractional resurfacing or pigmentation treatment. Acne and rosacea treatments are offered through our sister clinics, Acne Clinic Canberra (acnecliniccanberra) and Rosacea Clinic Canberra (rosaceacliniccanberra). Contact the clinic for the appropriate pathway.

Who this is for

Vascular laser is considered for:

• visible small vessels on the cheeks, nose and chin, and the nasal vessels that can follow years of sun
• blood spots (cherry angiomas) on the trunk and limbs
• spider naevi
• port-wine stains and other vascular birthmarks, assessed case by case
• some very fine facial spider veins not suited to injection

Ablative laser is considered for benign skin lesions that a person wants removed: raised benign moles, seborrhoeic keratoses (the waxy, stuck-on brown lesions that appear with age) and solar keratoses (rough, scaly sun spots, a proportion of which can progress to skin cancer over time and which are therefore worth treating).

Neither is a substitute for skin cancer care. Every lesion is examined with a dermatoscope at the consultation, and anything that is not clearly benign is referred for biopsy or excision rather than treated with laser. Leg spider veins are usually better treated with microsclerotherapy, and leg varicose veins are never treated with skin laser; see the varicose veins pathway.

Darker skin types absorb more laser energy in the pigment layer, which raises the risk of light or dark patches after vascular laser. This is discussed frankly at the consultation and affects the settings used or whether laser is recommended at all. Recent tanning, some medicines and a history of cold sores in the treatment area also need to be discussed.

What happens at your appointment

The consultation. Every laser treatment at CVLM starts with a medical consultation of around 30 minutes with Dr Lapenga. He takes your history, examines the skin, uses a dermatoscope on any lesion, and confirms the diagnosis. You leave with a written plan that names the treatment, the expected number of sessions, the likely side effects for your skin type, and the fee. A cooling-off period of about a week follows so you can think it over. Treatment is not performed at the first visit.

Vascular laser session. Allow 20 to 30 minutes. Make-up is removed and the skin cleaned. You and everyone in the room wear laser eye protection; for facial work small eye shields sit over your closed eyes. A test pulse is often fired first. The handpiece is then moved across the area, delivering pulses with a burst of cooling each time. Most people describe each pulse as a hot snap. Afterwards the area is red and warm; a cool compress is applied and you can go straight home. Facial redness and diffuse vessels usually need two to four sessions, four to eight weeks apart. Individual vessels and blood spots often clear in one or two.

Ablative laser session. Allow 20 to 40 minutes depending on the number of lesions. The area is cleaned and local anaesthetic is injected under each lesion; this is the part most people notice. Once numb, the laser vaporises the lesion layer by layer down to the level of the surrounding skin, with a faint smell of singeing. A small raw area is left, which is dressed with ointment and a dressing. Usually one session is needed per lesion.

Recovery and what can go wrong

After vascular laser, expect redness and mild swelling for a day or two, and sometimes bruising (purpura) that can last one to two weeks, particularly after treatment of larger vessels. Treated vessels may look darker before they fade. Aftercare instructions are provided individually in your treatment plan. Possible problems include blistering or crusting, temporary or occasionally lasting darkening or lightening of the skin, a small scar, and reactivation of cold sores. Some vessels do not respond, and redness or flushing can return over the years, so maintenance sessions are common.

After ablative laser, the treated spot is a small raw area that weeps for a few days, crusts, and heals over one to three weeks. Instructions for caring for the treated area are provided individually in your treatment plan. A pale or pink mark is usual and generally fades; a small scar, a persisting pale patch, or a lesion that regrows are all possible. Infection is uncommon with good wound care.

Outcomes with any laser vary between people and between lesions. The risks that apply to you are explained at your consultation and again before you sign a consent form.

Cost and Medicare

Vascular skin laser at CVLM is $600 per session, whether a limited area or the full face, current as at September 2026, after an initial assessment of $200. Ablative laser is $400 per 30-minute session, and the number of lesions treated in a session depends on their size and site. Your written plan quotes your exact figure and the number of sessions expected.

A Medicare rebate applies where treatment is clinically indicated and eligibility criteria are met. Most laser treatment addresses appearance and is a private fee. Removal of certain lesions may be eligible where there is a medical reason; your assessment determines this before any treatment is planned. A pay-later option is available through Medipay. The fees page sets out the full schedule.

Who you will see

Dr Alex Lapenga, Specialist General Practitioner with a fellowship of the College of Phlebology (UK), performs the consultation and every laser treatment himself. Canberra Vein & Laser Medicine is at The Woden Suites, Level 3, Francis Chambers, 40 Corinna Street, Phillip ACT 2606. Phone (02) 5119 3136.