Excel V

How it works

Excel V, from Cutera, is a vascular laser that combines a 532 nm green wavelength and a 1064 nm Nd:YAG wavelength. Hemoglobin in blood vessels absorbs these wavelengths, so the energy can be directed at red or blue vessels and diffuse redness while limiting heat in surrounding tissue. The practitioner picks the wavelength and spot size according to vessel depth and size. Bruising, redness or crusting may follow, and the number of sessions varies by person.

Good to know

• Wavelength is chosen by vessel type: shallow red vessels differ from deeper blue ones, and the plan may use both.
• Spot size changes how long an area takes, which can affect pricing for larger zones such as the cheeks.
• Small spot-type lesions are sometimes priced per lesion, while diffuse redness is priced per area.
• Cutera also makes Titan and truSculpt, so the estimate should name Excel V.

How Excel V affects a treatment quote

A vascular laser quote splits into two kinds. Individual visible vessels or a handful of spots may be billed per lesion. Spread-out redness over the cheeks or nose is more often billed per area. Ask which description fits your case and which kind of line the clinic is using.

Then ask how many visits are expected. Vessels often fade across several sessions, and a clinic that quotes a single visit may be assuming a small number of targets. Find out whether touch-ups are included. Numbing, VAT and soothing products are additional checks. Since a vessel treated at the wrong depth may not respond, the exam is where the realistic count is decided.