Summary:
- Effective for superficial spider veins only
- Easy and fast
- Immediate recovery (no downtime)
- Can be used for facial or leg veins
- No surgery
How does Laser Therapy work and what exactly are Spider Veins?
Laser Therapy for Spider Veins (sometimes called Cutaneous Laser Therapy) is a fast, easy and effective treatment for superficial spider veins on the face, but can be used on the legs as well. The advanced technology limits recovery time, side effects, and general discomfort. It is estimated that more than 75% of females over the age of 18 have spider veins. Clearly, you are not alone with this issue.
Spider veins are a problem that bothers millions of people around the globe. The name comes simply from their resemblance to a star with multiple small veins radiating from a center, sort of like when a spider is weaving its web. Red, blue or purple in color, these thread-like lines mainly appear on the legs, but they can also affect your face. Typically, they are caused by abnormal blood flow and weakening of the blood vessel.
During a Laser Therapy, a focused beam of light is used and targeted to the pigment in the blood. The small, superficial veins are heated up and destroyed. Within 4-6 weeks, the spider vein is reabsorbed by the body and completely disappears. The greatest upside is that the laser doesn’t damage the nearby skin tissue, so you’ll be able to wear shorts and get rid of all that make-up on your face in a small amount of time.
Is Laser Therapy for Spider Veins painful and what’s the recovery time?
Two questions patients typically ask are:
Is it going to hurt?
Laser treatments in general for most patients might give you the sensation of slight tingling, some find it a little more painful. The latest laser technology has a cooling system, which means that the tip of the laser never even gets hot. The procedure is done on an outpatient basis, and doesn’t require any anesthesia. The whole thing takes about 10-30 minutes, depending on how many spider veins are being treated.
Can I go to work the day after?
The majority of noninvasive procedures have little to no downtime, and Laser Therapy for Spider Veins is no exception to the rule. Not only do you not have to wait till the next day, you might be able to go back to work right away. As a matter of fact, you can do this over your lunch break as the procedure only takes a few minutes. The only thing that is not recommended after laser treatment is sun exposure. This is mainly because the skin itself can get red and irritated and sun exposure would only make it worse. Your physician can also recommend wearing a compression stocking.
What are the advantages of Laser Therapy over other procedures?
Since your eyes will be shielded during the laser procedure, there are few risks associated with it. It has fewer side-effects than other therapies, it’s short to do and short to recover from. People usually experience minimal pain and little to no downtime. The greatest advantage, however, emerges when treatment is necessary for spider veins on your face. As opposed to treating legs, where you still have some other options, your face is too delicate for any invasive procedure.
That said, this treatment is only useful for spider veins on the surface of the skin, and doesn’t address the underlying issues.
Is one Laser Therapy session enough and when do I see the results?
This really depends on how many spider veins are being treated and how big they are. For some, one session will be enough. If the area on your skin is larger, you might need two or more sessions, but usually a maximum of six. Discuss your specific situation with a specialist to find a more accurate answer.
Most of the superficial spider veins will disappear within two weeks. Even though the results are not immediate, eventually the treated areas are clear of any previous spider veins.
Cost and Insurance
The cost of Laser Therapy for Spider Veins varies, depending on how large the treated area is. Unfortunately, most medical insurance and Medicare will not cover this procedure as it is still considered more of an aesthetic concern. All specialist groups mentioned above that perform Laser Therapy for Spider Veins are extremely skilled at dealing with insurance companies and they will be of great assistance. Even if you do have to pay for the procedure yourself, it is definitely worth the cost.
Original article can be found here.