Laser Vein Removal
What are spider veins?
Telangiectasia’s is the correct term for these small unattractive red, purple or blue blood vessels which can appear on our face, legs and feet.
Understanding “Spider Veins”
Within healthy veins and capillaries there are valves, the job of the valves is to ensure blood is flowing in one direction only. In damaged veins and capillaries, these valves become weak and defective which allows blood to flow backward and pool inside the vessel. As this happens pressure builds, the vessel wall weakens and will eventually expand to compensate for the additional volume. As a result, the vein enlarges, bulges and twists. Depending on the size of the blood vessel and extent of edema, the result is a spider, reticular, or varicose vein.
What causes blood vessels to become damaged?
Heredity/family history: They are common to patients with a family history of this condition
Gender: There is a 4 to 1 female to male ratio
Age: Spider veins usually start to occur with patients between the ages of 18-35, but will peak with patients that are between 50-60 years old
Pregnancy/Hormones & increased blood volume and pressure
Trauma or impact, such as intense cardio,running or jogging
Lifestyle/Occupation- high heeled shoes, crossing legs for a long period, sitting or standing for extended periods, tight clothing, birth control pills, chronic constipation
Excessive sun exposure
Do we need these veins/capillaries for blood circulation?
No. If we took all our blood vessels out and laid them in a straight line they would stretch almost 100,000 miles! When the damaged vessels are coagulated and reabsorbed, your body will simply redirect blood flow through other healthy vessels.
How does Laser vein removal work?
During a laser vein removal treatment a very concentrated beam of light energy from the laser is directed precisely at the small blood vessels. The light penetrates below the surface of the skin and the heat causes the blood within the tiny vessels to collapse. Due to the walls of the vessel collapsing, blood flow is stopped and redirected into healthy veins that are deeper below the skin and get pumped back into circulation.
What are the Benefits of Laser vein removal?
Non-invasive, no needles
Safe
Quick recovery
Quick /immediate results
Does it hurt?
A pulse of laser light feels like a small pinch or sting similar to the snap of a rubber band or a quick sting against the skin. No local anesthesia is required and the procedure is well tolerated by most people. Any redness or swelling should be gone within a 24-48 hour period and you’ll be able to resume to your normal lifestyle activities.
Laser vein therapy vs Sclerotherapy
Laser vein treatments are extremely popular because they are non-invasive, safe, effective and offer many advantages over sclerotherapy. While sclerotherapy will take multiple treatments and needle injections are needed in each vein, laser treatments may only require 1-2 treatments and needles are not used.
How many sessions are required?
Usually only one to two treatments are adequate but this depends on the number, colour and size of the vessels being treated.
How long is each session?
Treatments are extremely fast but each treatment will be customized to each individual. How long the procedure takes will depend on how many broken veins there are to be treated.
Who is not a good candidate?
Not all veins are suitable for laser vein removal. Varicose veins or veins larger than 3 mm cannot be treated. You cannot have laser vein removal if you are pregnant. Patients prone to photo seizures should not undergo a laser vein removal treatment. Patients who have utilized Accutane within the last 6 months. If you are using photosensitive drugs, anticoagulants or blood thinners caution must be taken.
How long will the results last?
After your initial course of treatments, the vessels that have been treated will be gone forever. However because patients being treated are prone to developing these broken vessels, new ones may appear in the future. Touch-up treatments may be needed, when these will be needed will vary on the individual and each one’s lifestyle.