Spider Veins
Women are more affected than men by so-called spider veins, usually in the legs and thighs. They appear as red or bluish flares or linear vessels on their own or in clumps. They do not bulge like varicose veins. Some women avoid wearing dresses or skirts because they are conscious of the appearance of these dilated vessels. An irritating detergent-like foam or fluid can be injected into these tiny vessels to attempt to “glue” them closed. This is called microsclerotherapy. This requires wearing compression stockings afterwards. At Venus Medical, we have advanced lasers that are excellent at treating all calibres of spider veins or telangiectasias. More than one treatment is usually required depending on the extent and severity of the condition. Each treatment takes about 30-45 minutes and you can return to your normal activities immediately.
Which laser is the best to treat spider veins?
A vascular laser is the best to treat this blood vessels because it is most accurate at targeting the blood in the blood vessels. For deeper veins, the NdYAG is best. For smaller, more superficial blood vessels, the VBeam laser is more suitable because it has a shorter wavelength so accurately treats spider veins that are closer to the surface.
Is there any downtime after the treatment?
The area will appear pink, and vessels might darken, like small bruises. This will fade over a few days. Sometimes, the spider veins immediately disappear, but it depends on the size of the vessel. A slight swelling, like a cat scratch, is normal where the vessels have been treated. We will apply a soothing cream or gel to the area following the treatment to calm the skin.
Will the spider veins come back?
The blood vessels that have effectively been treated will not come back. However, laser treatments do not prevent the development of new spider veins over time. It is reasonable to assume maintenance treatments will be required in the future.
Does the laser treat varicose veins?
If you have varicose veins, you might be advised to have these treated first with surgery before beginning a course of laser treatments for spider veins. The spider veins may be resistant to treatment if there are underlying varicose veins, which are larger and bulge. This can be assessed during the consultation.