Spider Vein Removal

There are no major preparations required before the laser treatment. A few common sense recommendations include avoiding sun exposure, aspirin, alcohol and not smoke for at least a week prior to the procedure.

On the day of the treatment, one should avoid all creams, lotions and moisturizers on the area that is going to be treated.

One should wear comfortable clothing that allows easy access to the body part(s).

The procedure is done in a doctor\’s office or clinic and usually takes less than 10-20 minutes. In most cases, only the very small superficial veins are treated with a laser. The majority of individuals do not require any type of anaesthesia, but for those who are squeamish or anticipate pain, the physician may apply a topical anaesthetic 20 minutes prior to the procedure. Most current day lasers also have a cooling system which prevents the tip of the laser from getting hot.

During your treatment, you may feel a slight tingling sensation as the laser fires. If the individual feels any pain, a topical local anaesthetic is applied 20 minutes before the procedure.

Soon after the procedure, you may feel a slight bump on the skin which will disappear in the next 2-4 hours. The area may also appear slightly redder and occasionally may be bruised.

After laser therapy, it is strongly recommended that one keep away from the sun. Healing can be facilitated by wearing support hose. The pain is minimal and one may take any over the counter pain medications. After treatment, there is no down time. You can resume all of your normal activities immediately afterward.

It is generally recommended that the treatments be spaced four to six weeks apart. If new veins appear, additional treatments are required for optimum results.

The skin above the veins will have a reddish, cat-scratch appearance. This generally disappears over the next two days.

Patients are encouraged to resume all normal activities immediately. Final results may not be apparent for several months. Most patients are satisfied by the results in a very short time.

The results of laser treatment for spider veins are not immediate. After the laser therapy, the vessels underneath the skin will gradually change from a dark blue to light red colour, then eventually disappearing in two to six weeks.

Most patients report a high degree of satisfaction with the procedure and relief at no longer having to hide unsightly veins. The treated areas are noticeably clearer and in most cases the skin continues to improve with each successive treatment.

The majority of spider veins will disappear within two to four weeks, and in some cases even longer.

The risks associated with laser vein therapy are minimal. Your eyes will be shielded during the treatments. Most facilities use state-of-the-art cooling systems, thus the treatments are low risk and relatively pain-free.

Depending on the size and number of veins, two to six treatments will be needed. The treatments are usually done 4-6 weeks apart. Those with a tendency towards vascular problems will most likely require additional treatments.

Spider veins are always superficial to the skin and much smaller than varicose veins. Because spider veins are dark and superficial to the skin, some people dislike the appearance of them.

One thing to note about these veins is that they are harmless and not associated with any symptoms, and are only of a cosmetic concern. While we do not have a cure for spider veins, one can protect against them by wearing support hose and maintaining a normal weight.

Spider veins are typically caused by abnormal blood flow and weakening of the blood vessel wall. Any condition or activity that places pressure on the veins (like weight gain, prolonged sitting or standing) can contribute to their development.

Spider veins increase with age and thus are quite common in the elderly. There is also a genetic basis since spider veins do tend to run in families. In pregnancy, spider veins are quite common and have been associated with an increase in the female sex hormone, estrogen. Estrogen is known to weaken the walls of the veins and may contribute to the development of spider veins. During pregnancy, spider veins are most common in the 2nd trimester.

Unfortunately no; spider veins once developed generally get worse and do not resolve on their own. Weight gain, lack of exercise and a sedentary life style is associated with progression of spider veins.

The most conservative approach for treating spider veins is to wear properly fitting support hose (also called compression stockings). These stockings can generally be purchased at any pharmacy and come in various styles and colours. The stockings may be worn below or above the knee. They also come in different compressions varying from 18 to 20 mmHg and up to 40 to 50 mmHg. Unfortunately, once the spider veins have developed, they do not disappear even with wearing stockings.

Other conservative treatment approaches include losing weight if you are overweight, exercising regularly (especially walking), avoiding prolonged periods of sitting or standing, and elevating your legs while sitting and sleeping. For those who tend to stand up for prolonged periods, timeouts should be taken to rest the feet.

If conservative treatment does not achieve satisfactory relief of symptoms or if the appearance of the veins is bothersome, other treatments may be offered, depending on your overall medical condition. Depending on the size and location of the veins, other treatment techniques include:

• Sclerotherapy: This technique is not useful for varicose veins, only spider veins. This procedure involves the injection of a concentrated solution of sodium chloride directly into the vein with a small needle. The solution irritates the veins and causes it to collapse. Over time, the vessel turns into scar tissue that fades away. The procedure is usually done in a clinic, is relatively inexpensive, and has a little downtime. Most individuals require a couple of sessions to treat all the spider veins. Side effects of sclerotherapy may include slight swelling, bruising, and redness and itching at injection sites. If the solution leaks out of the vein, pain and darkening of the skin occur.
• Intense Light Therapy: This newer technique of treating spider veins uses intense pulsed light that can be used to selectively damage or destroy abnormal veins including small spider veins and small vascular birthmarks. Unlike laser, the intense light therapy is more suited for vascular lesions slightly deeper in the skin. This treatment may be recommended when sclerotherapy or laser therapy does not effectively treat the superficial vein. Two to four treatments may be required depending on the number and size of the lesions.
• Surgical ligation/stripping: Spider veins are almost never treated with surgery. Surgery is only reserved for the large varicose veins.

• It has much fewer side effects
• It is less traumatic to the surrounding skin compared to sclerotherapy
• It takes a much shorter time to complete laser treatment
• It is less painful than sclerotherapy
• Recovery is immediate
• Downtime is almost zero
• Laser therapy can even be used on the face

• Laser cannot be used for more deeper veins
• Laser is slightly more expensive than sclerotherapy

• Avoid wearing tight-fitting undergarments and clothing that constricts the waist, groin or legs
• Avoid crossing your legs while seated
• Avoid sitting or standing in one position for a long time
• Exercise regularly to increase circulation
• Lose weight if you are overweight

There is no cure for spider veins. Although treatment does not prevent the development of new spider veins, the removal of existing veins can dramatically improve the appearance of the affected area, providing a more youthful, healthy look and an even colour pattern to the skin. Spider veins are recurrent and thus, more treatments will be required in the future.

In addition to the leg spider veins, the laser can provide non-invasive skin treatments for the face. It is also used to remove unwanted hair even from patients who are not always good candidates for laser hair removal, such as those with darker or tanned skin.

Spider veins are only of cosmetic nuisance and not covered by medical insurance or Medicare. The average cost for laser therapy may vary. For a more detailed estimate, please visit us at our clinic or contact us.