Leg Veins?...Minimize them with Lasers!

        One of our patients’ most frequent requests is for information about unsightly and painful leg veins.  Large, tortuous veins curl down the legs, and smaller red and purple spider veins crawl across thighs, shins, and calves.

        Frequently, Doppler and other flow studies are needed prior to vein surgery or spider vein treatment.  These studies show if larger, deeper vessels have competent valves.  If there is a reflex of blood flowing downward through the veins it can put pressure on varicose and spider veins, making them larger and more prominent.  These studies help you and your doctor decide what treatment is best for you.  Patients have many choices including vein surgery, laser therapy, cautery treatments to the inside of the vessels, sclerotherapy, or spider vein laser treatments.

        There are four main ways to treat varicose and spider veins.

1. Larger varicose veins may be treated by a new laser that causes the lumen on the veins to seal together.  Sometimes surgery is necessary first to repair veins with leaky valves to reduce the gravity pressure of the blood into spider veins.

2. The more traditional surgical approach removes the tortuous, visible, or aching veins, and surgically ties-off or eliminates the perforator veins that feed blood to the outer skin layer where the purple and red spider veins are.

3. There is Sclerotherapy, a process in which a liquid sclerosing agent is injected into the spider vein causing the vein to seal shut.  Oftentimes, these veins seal, but sometimes the veins or a small collection of blood needs to be removed so the vein can heal completely.

4. The smaller purple or red veins may be treated with the Aura Laser or Apogee Laser.  In some cases, the vein can actually be seen collapsing as the laser beam is used to treat it.

        Topical anesthetic can be rubbed on the leg for anyone who needs it; however, it is seldom necessary.  Generally, the only sensation noticed is a tingling feeling that is felt for only a fraction of a second. 

        All surgical procedures carry the possibility of risk and uncertainty. Side effects and possible risks of varicose or spider vein treatment include: infection, swelling, blood clots, scarring, and pigment variations. It is important to discuss your medical history during your   initial consultation. A thorough discussion with your physician of risks and benefits as well as your expectations will be completed prior to your surgery.

        To enhance the healing process, it may be recommended that the patient wear support stockings for a few days after the laser treatments have been completed to help compress and seal the treated vessels and reduce the development of dark spots under the skin.  Depending upon the severity of each individual’s spider veins, multiple treatments are almost always necessary for optimum results.

        As you can see, multiple methods of evaluation and treatment are available for varicose and spider veins.  Sometimes pigment changes may occur, but they are usually temporary.  Rarely, inflammation, infection, or scarring can result from vein treatments, as well as clots, and all are treatable.  Vein treatments aren’t for everyone, but if you have trouble with varicose or spider veins, many traditional and newer techniques are available at Soderstrom Dermatology Center, S.C. for helping you with this problem.

 Diminish Face Veins

        One of life’s more irritating maladies in the world of cosmetic medicine is the spider vein.  Spider veins are most commonly seen on the legs of women.  However, they can also be seen on both men and women, in the form of Telangiectasia, or smaller veins around the facial area. 

        A major breakthough in the treatment of spider veins on the nose has come in the form of the Apogee Laser systems.  This laser gently seals the troubled blood vessels without the bruising which can be caused by other forms of treatment.

        These remarkable Lasers treat these veins using a laserbeam, not a needle, that is absorbed by the red color of the blood cells and oxyhemoglobin passing through the vein.  The heat generated by the laserbeam is so focalized and intense that it vaporizes the inside of the vessel wall, causing the vessel to close down and heal.  In some cases, the vein can actually be seen collapsing as the laserbeam is used to treat it.  Topical anesthetic can be rubbed into the area, however, it is seldom necessary.  Depending of the severity of the case, most patients will require more than one treatment to the affected area to ensure that all the small veins and runners have been treated thoroughly.

Treatment Steps:

1. You will have a consultation with your doctor to determine the best method of treatment for your specific problem veins.

2. Your physician may want to test your skin with the laser first to observe your skin's reaction to the laser treatment.

3. During treatment you will be asked to wear protective eye goggles to shield your eyes from bright light emitted from the laser.

4. A small handpiece is placed on the surface of the skin, and the laser is activated.  A slight sting may be felt, however, most patients tolerate it well.  A topical anesthetic can be used if the physician or patient feels it is necessary.

5. Small pulses of heat are directed at the area.  For small spider veins, only a few pulses will be necessary, but for larger veins, many more will be required, and patients may be treated on multiple visits.

6. Depending on the severity and size of the veins, several treatments may be required to ensure the effectiveness of the Aura Laser treatment.

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