Spider Vein Removal
Spider veins and microvaricosities both respond well to treatment with laser ablation and injection sclerotherapy. While an immediate reduction can occur, it is important to know that an ongoing diminution will occur and can take weeks to a few months before maximum results are achieved. Multiple treatment sessions can be required.
Spider veins, also known as telangiectasias and microvaricosities, are small, thin, blood vessels visible beneath the skin. They appear most commonly on the face and legs and may look like a series of lines, tree branches, or a spider- or web-like shape with a dark center. It is estimated that spider veins affect nearly half of adult women in the U.S.
New technology allows us to treat spider veins without surgery or a long recovery. Laser ablation of spider veins takes only 45 minutes in two sessions. The laser aims carefully controlled pulses of narrow-wavelength light at the damaged veins. The spider veins absorb the light and heat up, then collapse and close. They are then gradually re-absorbed by the body. Normal activities can be resumed immediately.
In concert with laser ablation of spider veins, injection sclerotherapy is very effective. Sclerotherapy is the "gold standard" treatment for spider veins. Injection sclerotherapy is performed with a miniscule (30 gauge) needle. We do not use the hypertonic (very concentrated) saline, but a very dilute agent that results in good ablation with little pain and minimal risk.
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