Venous Lake Treatment

Have you a blue spot or blemish on your lip that bothers you?
It may well be a venous lake, something we treat on a regular basis at Hillsborough Dental.
Venous lakes are small, purple or dark blue, soft, lumps which tend to develop as we get older. They are really just small blood vessels that have gradually dilated over time.
Although they are harmless and don’t require treatment, many people chose to have them removed for cosmetic reasons.

What is the best way to have one removed?
There are several options for removing a venous lake such as cryotherapy (the application of a freezing agent) or cutting it out under local anaesthetic, however by far the most preferable option, is laser treatment.
We are one of the few dental clinics in Northern Ireland who do this.

What is it about laser treatment that makes it the best option?
To begin with, laser treatment is simple and takes only 10 minutes.
It’s pain free as we use a local anaesthetic.
It is much less invasive than surgery and no form of incision is required.
Post-operative complications are minimised.
Recovery time is quick and with virtually no discomfort.
It gives excellent results, unlike some of the other treatments which can leave a pale scar.
We have been carrying out this procedure for over 6 years now with an almost 100% success rate.

How does it work?
The diode laser targets the dark pigmentation in the venous lake causing it to break down, and then over a period of six weeks, the healing process replaces it with normal lip tissue.

How do I know if I am suitable for this sort of treatment?
To find out if you’re suitable, simply book a venous lake consultation with us at the practice. If we discover you aren’t suitable don’t worry - there’ll be no charge. And if you are, we can go ahead with treatment the same day.