Laser treatment is no longer about choosing one device to address every skin concern. At Dr Ed Robinson Clinics, we use different laser and light technologies according to what we are actually seeing in the skin, whether that is persistent redness, visible facial veins, flushing, pigmentation or changes in skin quality.
The latest addition to this approach is the Clear Suite, which includes ClearV® and ClearSilk®. Although both use laser energy, they have different roles. ClearV is primarily used to target visible vessels, while ClearSilk takes a gentler approach to diffuse redness and overall skin quality.
This distinction is important because two patients who both describe their concern as “redness” may need very different treatment. One may have a prominent vein beneath the eye, while another experiences widespread flushing or persistent background redness. Some patients have several concerns at the same time.
The Clear Suite gives us another way to be precise about what we are treating and, where appropriate, to incorporate treatment into a wider laser plan. Here, we look at how ClearV and ClearSilk work, who they may be suitable for and where they fit alongside the other laser and light technologies available at our Cheshire clinic.
What Is the Clear Suite Laser?
Clear Suite is a laser platform that allows us to approach vascular concerns and skin rejuvenation with greater precision.
Within the Clear Suite, ClearV® uses a 1064 nm Nd laser wavelength to target visible vascular concerns. ClearSilk® also uses 1064 nm laser energy, but delivers it differently, gently heating the skin rather than concentrating treatment on an individual visible vessel.
In practical terms, the same underlying wavelength can therefore be used for very different purposes depending on how the energy is delivered.
ClearV may be selected when there is a distinct vessel to target. ClearSilk is more likely to form part of a broader skin treatment where the aim is to improve diffuse redness and the overall appearance and quality of the complexion.
Neither should be thought of as simply the “stronger” or “gentler” version of the other. They have different roles.
What Does ClearV Treat?
ClearV® is particularly useful for visible vascular concerns, including facial veins and vessels that can be difficult to disguise with skincare or make-up.
The laser targets haemoglobin within the blood vessel. The controlled energy heats the vessel while helping to minimise unnecessary treatment of the surrounding skin. The body then gradually clears the treated vessel.
Under-eye or periorbital veins are a good example of why careful treatment selection matters. The skin around the eyes is thin, so blue or purple veins beneath it can become surprisingly noticeable. Adding volume or treating the skin surface does not necessarily address the reason that colour is visible. Where assessment confirms that a vein itself is contributing to the concern, a vascular laser may be a more logical approach.
ClearV may also be considered for vascular birthmarks, including port-wine stains, depending on the individual presentation. Vascular birthmarks can vary significantly in colour, depth and extent, so treatment needs to be planned around the characteristics of the lesion rather than following a standard protocol.
What Is ClearSilk and How Is It Different?
ClearSilk® is less about treating one obvious vessel and more about gently heating the skin to improve redness and support a clearer, healthier-looking complexion.
It is a non-ablative treatment, which means it does not remove the surface of the skin. Instead, laser energy is delivered below the surface in a controlled way.
This makes ClearSilk particularly interesting for patients whose concern is not a single broken vessel, but a more general tendency towards facial redness or rosacea, flushing or uneven-looking skin.
These patients often describe their skin as looking permanently “hot” or flushed, even when there is no obvious individual vessel to point to. Others find that redness becomes more apparent with heat, exercise or other triggers.
This is where simply saying that somebody has “redness” is not enough. We need to look at what that redness actually consists of. Some patients may have distinct visible vessels, others more diffuse redness, and some have both.
How Do You Know Which Laser Treatment You Actually Need?
You do not need to know before your consultation.
This is becoming increasingly important as laser technology becomes more sophisticated. Patients are now faced with names such as ClearV, ClearSilk, BBL, MOXI, HALO® TRIBRID™ and Erbium laser resurfacing, and it can feel as though you need to research the entire treatment menu before booking an appointment.
In reality, these technologies have different strengths.
If the concern is vascular, we may look closely at whether there are discrete vessels, diffuse redness or both. If pigmentation is also present, BBL® HEROic™ may become relevant. If texture, pores or early signs of skin ageing are a significant part of the picture, MOXI® may be considered. For more significant textural change, lines, sun damage or selected acne scars, the clinic also offers HALO® TRIBRID™ and Erbium laser resurfacing, with the depth and intensity selected according to the degree of correction required.
The aim is not to work our way up a ladder from the weakest laser to the strongest. It is to identify the right technology, or combination of technologies, for what is actually happening within your skin.
Why Does Having Several Laser Technologies Matter?
It gives us choices, and that changes the way a treatment plan can be built.
If a clinic has only one laser, there is an inevitable temptation to view every suitable concern through the capabilities of that machine. When several technologies are available, the starting point can instead be the patient’s skin.
At our Hale clinic, we often see patients with overlapping concerns. Sun exposure may have left pigmentation as well as visible vessels. Redness may sit alongside uneven texture. Acne scarring may coexist with post-inflammatory discolouration.
In these situations, the answer may be one carefully selected treatment, a course of treatment or the use of different technologies at different stages. This same principle is important when combining BBL HEROic with HALO TRIBRID, where different technologies can be used to address different aspects of colour, texture and skin quality.
The important part is that the treatment follows the diagnosis of the problem, rather than the other way around.
FAQs About Clear Suite Laser Treatment
Can Clear Suite be used around the eyes?
ClearV may be considered for visible veins around the eyes, but this is a specialist area and suitability needs to be assessed carefully. The position, size and characteristics of the vessel all influence whether laser treatment is appropriate.
Will a visible vein disappear immediately after ClearV?
The response can vary according to the vessel being treated. Some vessels change visibly during treatment, while the final improvement develops as the body processes the treated vessel. Your practitioner can give you a more realistic expectation after examining the area.
Do I need to avoid the sun before laser treatment?
Recent tanning and significant sun exposure can affect the suitability and timing of many laser treatments. It is important to tell your practitioner about recent sun exposure and follow the pre-treatment advice you are given. Consistent sun protection is also important after laser and light treatments.
Can I have Clear Suite if I have pigmentation as well as redness?
Potentially, but the pigmentation itself needs to be assessed. Depending on what is causing the colour and what other changes are present, a treatment such as BBL, MOXI or another approach available within the clinic may be more appropriate for that part of the concern.
Is Clear Suite only for the face?
Treatment area depends on the concern and the particular Clear Suite treatment being considered. A consultation allows the practitioner to assess the area, identify what is causing the visible change and establish whether laser treatment is suitable.
A More Individual Approach to Laser Treatment in Cheshire
The addition of Clear Suite gives us more flexibility when treating redness and vascular concerns at Dr Ed Robinson Clinics.
ClearV and ClearSilk have their own roles, as do BBL, MOXI, HALO TRIBRID and Erbium resurfacing within a wider laser treatment plan. Having access to different technologies means treatment can be selected according to the skin in front of us rather than asking every patient to fit the same protocol.
If visible facial veins, under-eye veins, flushing, persistent redness or a combination of skin concerns is bothering you, a consultation at Dr Ed Robinson Clinics in Hale, Cheshire is the best place to establish what is causing it and which approach is appropriate. The clinic also welcomes patients from Altrincham, Wilmslow, Knutsford and the wider Cheshire and Greater Manchester area.