Starting Laser Genesis treatments, will post updates.

[iVAN]

Hi all, I am a 40yr old male with permanent redness in cheeks, nose, ears and neck with bad flushing and burning/discomfort. My nose also is getting swollen and kind of lumpy with large pores. I can barely brush my hand over my skin without causing a nasty flare up.
It was just red cheeks as a child, but has spread and gotten worse
and worse over the years.

Anyway, I had 4 or 5 treatments with IPL about 4 yrs ago after reading
Nase's book. I had high hopes but no positive results from it.

Recently I have looked into the Laser Genesis treatment as it seems to
have helped some people who did not respond to IPL, and it seems
to be somewhat more 'foolproof', less likely to cause damage.
This is important to me as it seems almost impossible to get treated
by an experienced doctor. Most of these IPL's and lasers seem to
be operated by technicians not skilled or schooled on how to
treat Rosacea type symptoms.

Today I had a consultation with a nurse at a clinic that has the Laser
Genesis machine. I asked for a sample test to be done to see how
I reacted to it. She treated my ear and cheek with about 500 pulses.
She held the device about 1.5 inches off my skin.

The machine settings were 15 joules/ .03ms / 7 hz

I was suprised as it had quite a sting to it. It felt warm but also
had a snappy feeling similar but not as strong as the IPL.
Also had the smell of singed hair while treating my cheek.
(guess I should have shaved a bit closer!)

I am not sure I could sit through her doing my entire face
(7-8000 pulses) as it was quite uncomfortable.
Maybe 15 joules is a bit high for my first time.

She says she goes as high as 19 joules on some people.
The treated areas were very red and angry, but now are back
to normal redness (3 hrs after treatment)
She estimated 5 treatments costing $300 each time.
Seems reasonable IF it helps (I'll be happy if they can reduce
all my symptoms by 50%)

In one week I have another conslutation at another place that also
has the Laser Genesis. I will question them on thier settings and also
ask for a sample area to be treated.

Then I will start treatments at 2 or 3 week intervals and see what
happens (fingers crossed)

Anyone with experience or knowledge of Laser Genesis please
feel free to respond and share your thoughts here.

Thanks.
Dave

[phlika29]

Dave

A few of us have been posting our settings in the thread linked below, but I've just noticed that we seem to interchanging the name Genesis and Gemini.

Is the Genesis a ND:Yag machine or a pulse dye laser? I have been having Gemini ND:Yag with Dr Crouch and have been listing my settings.


http://forum.rosaceagroup.org/viewto...r=asc&start=30

[iVAN]

I searced for any threads about the Genesis specifically and
didnt see any so I started this one.

I thought that the Cutera Laser Genesis was different from the rest but
maybe I am mistaken. Is Laser Genesis just a reference to the laser
settings and can be done on any 1064 YAG laser. :?

Here is a link to the Cutera page
http://www.cutera.com/patient-inform...w=lasergenesis

I do not want to duplicate another thread so if you decide that it is necessary, feel free to delete my thread and I will report my treatments on the link you posted.

Thanks.
Dave.

[orangehorizon]

Yes 'Laser Genesis' refers to the protocol/ the settings.

'Gemini laser' refers to a particular laser system that combines 532nm and 1062 nm.

I've had Laser Genesis protocol once as you can read in the thread the Philika29 refered to. I don't think that protocol can treat visible capillaries at all and the probability to help with background redness are bleak. There are no studies on that protocol for that purposes at all. All the studies were for smoothing skin superficial lines and tightening pores a bit.

My advice is go to Gemini Laser instead and be treated with both wavelengths.

[phlika29]

Thanks for clearing that up.

Ivan sorry if I wasn't clear, I didn't mean that you shouldn't have your own thread just thought that the settings we had might be useful for you to refer to as well.

I am very interested in how you get on as I'm sure others are aswell.

Best wishes

sarah

[keisha06]

I have had (and am actually having more right now) with
Dr Darm using the Gensis YAG - it has been the best thing for my flushing (not a big redness problem so can not speak much to that) - it can zap broken veins really well - one zap and it is gone (sometimes have a little bump for a day or two). I am given lazercaine to numb up with a head of time and have about 20,000 pulses (entire face) - am doing the condensed protocol so doing 5 treatments in 5 days (also works well on the ears).

Takes me about 1 hour to completely cool my face after the treatment, blotchy for a few days then skin clears well (typically senstive for anywhere from 8-11 weeks after treatment then really improves but I know some have a shorter recovery period). Once I had a little swelling under one eye but that is it).

[iVAN]

I will probably still go ahead with the Genesis treatments.
What works for one person, often does not work for someone
else so I will get 3 or 4 treatments to see how it affects me.
I need to do something NOW. Its only money right :?

In the meantime I will be researching other treatments, particularly
the Gemini and see what my next course of action will be, if
the Genesis does not work out.


Keisha06, I had read in the forum that you were getting treated by Dr Darm. I tried contacting you with the email address in your
profile with no luck.

I have questions about your treatments with him.
I am from B.C. also. If you wish to discuss them with me,
you can email me at edited by melissa at the request of Ivan

Thanks.
Dave.

[christpunchers]

Hey buddy nice to hear that you've gone for a treatment. I heard that the genesis and the gemini are pretty much the same. Both can operate in two different modes im but Im not sure if the genesis does KTP or if its another type of laser when its not in ND:YAG mode.

Ive decided to go for a 2nd gemini in about a week for my red dots on my cheeks (left from acne LONG ago). The first treatment according to the derm seems to have helped a bit, so I would take his words over mine since I look at myself in the mirror everyday and I may not notice a difference when there is one.

Let us know how things turn out Im very interested to see if theres long term results with these lasers.

[iVAN]

Hey CP

The main reason I'm trying Genesis is that
operating it seems almost foolproof (I'll just make sure
I agree with the settings) so less risk that it makes my
problem worse, its semi-affordable and I can get treated
every two weeks.

So in the time between now and my appointments with
the better doctors I will have a good idea if this is something
I will keep doing, or add it to my list, (my LOOOOONNG list)
of things that havent helped.

Hopefully I can become an internet pro about Genesis
and Gemini in the next couple of weeks.

Who is treating you with the Gemini??
Does he use 532 and 1064 on you?
If you get a chance, maybe ask how he would treat
red, flushy skin with it and if it he has had sucess
treating Rosacea people with Gemini.

Thanks, and best of luck with your treatments.
Dave.

[christpunchers]

Its just Dr Ho from VGH, i forgot to ask him what he used to treat my red pigmentation but Im pretty sure it was only KTP because with YAG I think the downtime would be much longer and I would have been in much more pain.

You can youtube "gemini ktp", you'll find a couple of videos about what it can treat. Also on laserscope's own website they've got quite a few videos on it. Definetly treating flushing/redness is its primary selling point. The only thing that gemini doesnt really help is with scarring.

Just get a consultation with Dr Ho at the VGH, he is definetly one of the best (though he does have his good days and bad), if not for a treatment then for his honest advice. He will not try and sell you anything unlike other places that need money in order to pay off their private equipment. Im sure hes done hundreds of Roscea patients in his practice so you would not have anything that he hasnt seen before.

And yes he does all the treatments himself. Right now Im just hoping that their fraxel trials will go through so I can get treated with that and gemini combined in the summer, their prices will probably be lower than other places since they are a part of vancouver city in a way.

Let me know how it goes, I hope you'll have good results with your current treatment. I was watching some infocommericals today about microdermabrasion that people can do in their homes with creams and handpieces, if only my skin didnt have these obvious problems to begin with I could spend just a bit of money on these really nice surface comestics and never have to worry about red marks ever again instead of spending the big bucks to see derms......