u/BillieJeanU

Age: 27
Sex: Male
Location of concern: Cheeks (bilateral, left more affected)
Duration: 5 months
History:
5 months ago I had IPL Lumecca treatment. The operator made an error during the procedure and I developed severe purpura that persisted for 2 months and left residual marks. The operator refused to acknowledge the complication.
I consulted multiple dermatologists with no clear treatment plan. Eventually one dermatologist examined the area with a polarized dermatoscope and identified extensive telangiectasias, recommending vascular laser treatment.
I underwent 3 PDL Vbeam Perfecta sessions:
• Session 1: standard purpuric protocol, significant edema, minimal improvement, residual linear mark from first pulse.
• Session 2 (5-6 weeks later): subpurpuric protocol, no pain, no edema, excellent result — most erythema resolved.
• Session 3 (only 3 weeks after session 2): painful, edematous response, marked worsening of erythema. One area is now significantly worse than baseline.
Current state:
Diffuse erythema across both cheeks, more pronounced on the left. New superficial telangiectasias visible on dermoscopy. Severe reactivity to UV — flushing occurs even with mineral SPF 50+ reapplied and physical protection (cap). UV index in my region recently increased from 3 to 7. Skin reacts to heat, sun, and seemingly without trigger.
Question:
What do I do? No one has been able to give me an answer about what’s actually wrong with me or how to fix it.
Photos attached: pre-Lumecca, post-IPL, post each PDL session, current state.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

5 months ago I got IPL Lumecca done. The operator made a mistake during the procedure and I developed severe purpura that didn’t resolve for two months and left lasting marks. The Lumecca operator refused to acknowledge her mistake and blacklisted me, so I went to multiple different doctors but none could help — they prescribed various things and I spent a lot of money with no results.
One doctor finally looked at the affected areas with a dermatoscope and said there were a lot of vessels and I needed vascular laser treatment. I went to a doctor who specializes in vascular lasers and he treated me with PDL Vbeam.
After the first session there was severe swelling and no real visible improvement. The second session was a month later and the result was phenomenal — almost all the marks faded. What surprised me most was that there was zero pain during the procedure and no swelling afterward. Then 3 weeks after the second, the doctor said we should do a “final” third session. It was as painful as the first one and the swelling came back. And after that everything went to hell. The marks returned, and one area became significantly worse than before.
I also feel like since the UV index jumped from 3 to 7, every time I go outside — even with SPF and a cap — my face flushes terribly. Sometimes it just flushes for no reason.
It’s really hard because I don’t know how to fix this. I had a normal face before, and now I have this mess.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​