subject: How Lasers can Treat Spider Veins [print this page] How Lasers can Treat Spider Veins How Lasers can Treat Spider Veins
At the very least, spider veins are a nuisance. Whether they appear on your feet, legs or face, most people find them unattractive and will go to great lengths to hide them. Women with spider veins on their legs may stop wearing the skirts and dresses they prefer and just wear slacks so their legs are hidden. Similarly, they may have to wear heavy makeup so the red or blue color of the spider veins is unseen. Fortunately, new laser technology is making removal of spider veins a possibility.
What are Spider Veins?
Spider veins are relatives to varicose veins and are small, dilated blood vessels that are located near the skin's surface. These blood vessels are slightly clogged and, therefore, are visible from the outside. Spider veins are not considered to be a serious medical condition, but could develop into one without medical intervention. You may be risk for developing spider veins if you have been pregnant, are carrying too much weight for your body size, or have a job where you must stand for extended periods of time. Heredity and aging can also cause spider veins.
Laser Treatment for Spider Veins
Laser procedures are quickly becoming available as a highly effective treatment option for a wide range of medical situations including spider vein treatment. Physicians and plastic surgeons worldwide have embraced the precision and power that lasers offer when treating their patients.
The laser treatment for spider veins is fairly quick, does not burn and leaves no scars. Brief and focused pulses of light are shot through the skin, into the vein. The laser energy causes the coagulation of affected capillaries and thins the dilated blood vessels. The material that is blocking the vein and causing the problem is weakened until it dissolves and is absorbed by your body through the blood stream. The entire process takes about 15 to 20 minutes and can be done in your doctor's office.
Recovery After Laser Spider Vein Treatment
Unlike sclerotherapy, which requires saline injections into the spider veins to dissolve the blockage, laser spider vein treatment is painless and has minimal side effects. There will be slight swelling and bruising on the affected areas following laser treatment. This can be expected to disappear quickly, within a day or two, in contrast to the weeks of recovery after undergoing sclerotherapy.
If you live in the New York City area and are interested in learning about spider vein treatment, please visit the website of Dr. George Lefkovits, M.D., New York plastic surgeon, for more information.
