What should I consider while choosing spider vein laser treatment near me? A top vein doctor answers
If you have spider veins, it is natural that you would want the best possible treatment to get them removed. You may have heard that laser treatment is great for spider veins. Our vein experts tell you all about finding spider vein laser treatment near you – and what the alternatives are.
What is laser treatment for spider veins?
Laser light therapy, also known as blue light therapy, is a completely esthetic procedure that helps reduce the visibility of the purplish or bluish lines underneath the surface of your skin. The procedure, when performed by a vein specialist, is fairly simple and involves shining a laser light onto the part of the skin where the veins are located. The light contains heat-generating rays called photons, and the eat gets transmitted to the spider veins when it hits the skin. This causes the spider veins to shrink, making them look less prominent. For the veins to completely disappear, you will need at least four sessions of laser therapy.
Are there better alternatives to laser treatment for spider veins?
Yes! Any vein doctor would tell you that sclerotherapy is the gold standard for spider vein treatment, and is the preferred option for most vein specialists. This is also a simple technique, and consists of a small injection using extremely tiny needles. A medicated solution, called sclerosant, is delivered into your veins through these needles. The sclerosant mildly irritates the walls lining your veins, causing them to stick together and get blocked up. Since blood can no longer flow through these tiny blood vessels, they become non-functional, and over a month, the body eventually digests this vein, removing it completely. Since this technique uses tiny needles, there is extremely minimal discomfort, which may actually be less than the ‘burning’ sensation caused by laser light shining on the skin.
So how do I know when to choose laser treatment and when to choose sclerotherapy?
Most vein specialists prefer sclerotherapy for spider veins that are located on the legs. Sclerotherapy offers better results than laser treatment, and a single session of sclerotherapy offers results equivalent to about four sessions of laser treatment.
On the feet and face, however, the tissue is more delicate, and injecting sclerosant solution may cause scarring and discoloration of skin. So in these instances, laser treatment may be the preferred option. Spider veins near the nose, especially, may be closely connected with veins leading to the brain and eye, so most vein specialists prefer avoiding direct injections in this region. Even in these regions, however, there may be exceptional cases where sclerotherapy may be a preferred option – generally when the veins are more prominent, and injections carry low risk. It is best to let your vein doctor make this decision for you!
Will I need any other treatment for my spider veins?
Spider veins are usually the manifestation of underlying vein disease called chronic venous insufficiency. Any reputed vein doctor will, prior to offering treatment for spider veins, screen for chronic venous insufficiency. You should definitely get screened for vein disease, particularly if you have one or more of the following symptoms:
- Feet that feel heavy or ache at the end of the day
- Swollen ankles if you sit or stand for too long
- Sudden cramps in your legs
- General fatigue, especially at the end of the day
If you do have vein disease, you will need treatment for the main veins, as well as for the visible spider veins. If you get only the spider veins fixed, and leaving the main veins untreated, the underlying cause still remains, and your spider veins have a high chance of recurrence. Your vein specialist will offer you one of the following forms of treatment for chronic venous insufficiency:
- Radiofrequency ablation (RFA): Heat is delivered to the main vein through a radiofrequency catheter. The heat melts the vein walls and sels off the vein.
- Endovenous Laser ablation (EVLA): This is the same as RFA, except that heat is delivered through a laser fiber. This may cause more discomfort than RFA.
- VenaSeal: An advanced treatment procedure that simply involves injecting the diseased vein with medicated glue. The glue seals off the diseased vein
- Clarivein: A tiny rotating catheter is implanted into the diseased vein. the catheter disperses sclerosant throughout the vein, and seals it off.
How do I choose a spider vein treatment clinic near me?
When you look for a vein clinic that treats spider veins, look out for the following things:
- A clinic that offers both forms of treatment: If the clinic offers both laser therapy and sclerotherapy, you will be able to choose the method based on your body, and not based on what’s available. Moreover, places that usually offer only laser treatment are medi-spas, and the treatment may not be performed by trained doctors.
- A clinic with trained phlebologists: Phlebologists are vein specialists who have received special training in handling vein diseases. An expert phlebologist will be able to identify if you have underlying vein disease, and will be better qualified to choose the most ideal form of treatment suited to your body.
The Vein Treatment Clinic offers high-quality treatment for spider veins and chronic venous insufficiency. Our team of board-certified vein specialists are experts at minimally invasive vein treatment, and they strongly believe in offering customized treatment solutions to each patient. To find out more about our treatment options for spider veins, book an appointment online, or call 855-386-0195 to speak to our experts today!