Beverly Hills Dermatology
Vbeam® Pulsed Dye Laser in Beverly Hills
The 595nm pulsed dye laser targets hemoglobin inside visible vessels — the treatment of choice for rosacea, diffuse facial redness, and telangiectasias, performed personally by Dr. Zaks.
- Verified Reviews
- 792
- Overall Rating
- 4.77★
- Bedside Manner
- 4.84★
- Years in Practice
- 20+
Overview
The Vbeam® laser is designed to treat redness and visible blood vessels without breaking the skin's surface. It sends out a specific wavelength of light that is drawn to the red color inside blood vessels while largely passing through the surrounding skin. The light heats each targeted vessel enough to close it, and the body then clears it naturally over the following weeks. Because the energy stays concentrated in the vessels, the surface of the skin is left intact — there is no open wound or resurfacing.
To keep the treatment comfortable, Dr. Zaks uses gentler settings and the Vbeam's built-in cooling, which protects the skin's surface with a brief cooling burst before each pulse. Most patients describe the sensation as a mild snap and return to normal activity the same day.
The Vbeam® is used for concerns caused by blood vessels close to the skin's surface: background redness and flushing from rosacea, facial spider veins, pink marks left behind after acne, diffuse redness from years of sun exposure, cherry angiomas, and the residual redness of some scars.
Candidacy depends on both the target and the skin. Vascular lesions in lighter Fitzpatrick types I through III respond most readily. In Fitzpatrick types IV through VI, competing melanin absorption means settings must be adjusted conservatively and test spots are often used, because pigment alteration is a real consideration in darker skin. Photosensitizing medication, recent tanning, active infection at the site, and pregnancy all affect timing or candidacy. Dr. Zaks makes that determination himself at consultation.
Dr. Zaks personally performs every injectable, laser, and procedural treatment at his Beverly Hills practice. Patients are never seen by rotating physician assistants, nurse injectors, or aestheticians for these procedures.
What Vbeam® Treats
Rosacea Redness and Flushing
Rosacea with visible redness and flushing responds well because the redness is vascular. Topicals control inflammation; the laser addresses the vessels themselves. Most patients need a series and then periodic maintenance.
Facial Telangiectasias
Discrete visible vessels on the nose, cheeks, and around the nasal ala — often the most gratifying target, since individual vessels can clear in one or two sessions.
Post-Inflammatory Erythema
The flat pink-red marks left behind after inflammatory acne. These are vascular, not scars, and are frequently mistaken for permanent damage.
Poikiloderma of the Chest and Diffuse Sun-Related Redness
Poikiloderma of Civatte — the mottled red-brown discoloration with fine vessels across the upper chest from decades of Southern California sun — along with background redness on the cheeks and décolleté. The vascular component responds to the 595nm wavelength; treatment is staged conservatively on chest skin, which heals more slowly than the face.
Cherry Angiomas and Vascular Papules
Small benign vascular growths on the face and trunk, treated individually.
Red Scars and Surgical Scars
The persistent redness phase of healing scars often improves, which can make a scar substantially less noticeable.
Port-Wine Stains and Vascular Birthmarks
The pulsed dye laser remains the established treatment; these require an extended series and are evaluated individually.
The Treatment Experience
Consultation and diagnosis
Dr. Zaks confirms the redness is vascular rather than pigmentary or inflammatory, identifies the rosacea subtype if relevant, and reviews medications and sun exposure.
Parameter selection and test pulses
Wavelength is fixed at 595nm; fluence, pulse duration, spot size, and cooling are selected for your skin type and target depth. In darker skin types Dr. Zaks starts conservatively with test pulses and titrates upward across sessions rather than pushing settings in one visit.
Treatment
Each pulse feels like a brief warm snap, moderated by the cryogen cooling. Eye shields are worn. A full face takes roughly fifteen to twenty minutes; isolated vessels take only a few minutes. No anesthesia is required.
Aftercare and series planning
Expect mild transient redness and occasional slight swelling. Swelling can last two to three days in some patients, though most only notice it for a few hours and return to work the same day, often with makeup. Daily mineral sunscreen at SPF 30+ is essential. Sessions are spaced four to six weeks apart, typically five for diffuse redness and one to three for isolated vessels on the cheeks or similar discrete areas.
Important Notes
- Dr. Zaks treats with gentle, longer-pulse settings and integrated cryogen cooling, chosen so that patients can return to normal activity the same day.
- Rosacea is a chronic condition. The laser clears existing vessels; it does not remove the underlying tendency, so periodic maintenance — often one to two sessions a year — keeps results stable.
- Sun protection is part of the treatment, not an afterthought. Ultraviolet exposure drives new vessel formation and flushing.
- In Fitzpatrick types IV through VI, settings are deliberately conservative and progress is made across more sessions to protect against pigment change.
- Cosmetic laser treatment is self-pay. Medical evaluation of rosacea or a vascular lesion may be billable to PPO insurance or Medicare.
Before & After
Images courtesy of Candela Medical. Used with attribution. Individual results vary.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can rosacea come back after Vbeam laser treatment?
Yes — and understanding why matters. The Vbeam clears the visible vessels that exist today, but rosacea is a chronic condition with an underlying vascular and inflammatory tendency that the laser does not erase. New vessels can develop over time, particularly with sun exposure, heat, alcohol, and spicy food triggers. Most of Dr. Zaks' rosacea patients complete an initial series, then maintain results with one to two sessions per year alongside topical therapy and daily sun protection.
How many Vbeam sessions will I need?
Isolated vessels on the cheeks or nose often clear in one to three sessions. Diffuse redness and rosacea typically need five sessions spaced four to six weeks apart, because each pass clears a portion of the vessel network. Port-wine stains require a longer series. Dr. Zaks gives you a realistic estimate at consultation based on your clinical presentation rather than a generic package.
Is Vbeam safe for darker skin types?
It can be, with adjusted parameters. Melanin competes with hemoglobin for the 595nm light, so in Fitzpatrick types IV through VI Dr. Zaks uses conservative fluences, longer pulse durations, robust cooling, and test pulses, and builds results across additional sessions. Aggressive settings in darker skin risk pigment alteration, which is precisely why the physician selecting the parameters should be the one treating you.
What is the downtime after Vbeam?
For the great majority of patients, effectively none beyond mild redness or slight swelling for a few hours. Makeup can usually be applied the same day. Avoid hot showers, saunas, and strenuous exercise for about twenty-four hours, and use mineral sunscreen at SPF 30+ daily afterwards.
Does the Vbeam treat brown spots too?
Only indirectly. The Vbeam is a vascular laser. Brown pigment from sun damage or melasma is treated with different approaches — topical protocols, salicylic acid or Cosmelan peels, and carefully chosen pigment-directed treatment. Dr. Zaks will tell you honestly which component of your redness or discoloration this laser will and will not address.
Does Dr. Zaks perform the laser himself?
Yes. Dr. Zaks personally performs every laser treatment at his Beverly Hills practice, including parameter selection at every session. You will not be treated by a technician, nurse, or aesthetician.
Does insurance cover Vbeam treatment?
Cosmetic treatment of redness is self-pay. The medical visit to diagnose and manage rosacea, or to evaluate a vascular lesion, may be covered by PPO insurance or Medicare. Call (310) 552-3376 and the office will explain what applies before you are treated.
Patient Reviews
“I have been going to Dr. Zaks for over 4 years. His outstanding skill, great bedside manner, warm personality, and artistry with Botox make me come back again and again!”
“I had Rosacea on my face for over 10 years. Dr. Zaks quickly reduced this embarrassing condition. Nobody else could help me. He's the best Dermatologist in LA hands down!”
“Dr. Zaks did not rush and he gave me 100% attention. He did not try to sell me product or convince me to try aggressive procedures which I appreciated.”
“Doctor took the time to explain the technical aspects of my condition, the treatment options and the expectations.”
About Dr. Boris Zaks, MD
Dr. Boris Zaks personally performs every procedure at Superior Beverly Hills Dermatology — never rotating assistants. He has practiced dermatology in Beverly Hills for more than twenty years.
- Board Certified — American Board of Dermatology (since 2002)
- Medical Degree — UCLA School of Medicine
- Chief Resident — Charles Drew University of Medicine & Science
- B.S. Biology — UCLA, Summa Cum Laude (age 19)
- Medical Board of California Expert Reviewer since 2009
- Super Doctors® 2023, 2024, 2025, 2026 & 2027 (Southern California)
- "Rock Star Dermatologist" — Glamour Magazine
Schedule Your Consultation
435 N. Roxbury Drive, Suite 408, Beverly Hills, CA 90210 · Monday–Friday · (310) 552-3376
Paid parking on-site, or free 2-hour parking at 461 N. Bedford Drive Garage, 1 block away
Areas Served
Patients seek Vbeam® pulsed dye laser treatment at Dr. Zaks’s Beverly Hills office from throughout greater Los Angeles: West Hollywood, Bel Air, Brentwood, Malibu, Pacific Palisades, Santa Monica, Westwood, Century City, Culver City, Marina del Rey, Studio City, Sherman Oaks, Encino, Calabasas, Burbank, Glendale, Pasadena, Manhattan Beach, Hermosa Beach, Torrance, Long Beach, Newport Beach, and Irvine.