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LASER VEIN TREATMENTS

In our opinion, one treatment with the laser can accomplish what four or five sclerotherapy sessions can accomplish.  You should also know that many patients who have sclerotherapy will have an increase in finer veins and matting of veins (star burst vessels) about 1 to 3 years after sclerotherapy, so they can be made worse in some areas in the long-run by the sclerotherapy!

How it works:

The laser generates a pulse of intense, concentrated light which is directed through a handpiece which is gently applied to the treatment site. This laser energy passes through the skin to the blood vessels which you wish to have eliminated, where the energy is absorbed by pigment in the blood, causing selective damage to the lining of the target blood vessel without damaging the surrounding tissues and skin

The blood vessels which have been destroyed are reabsorbed. The surface of the skin is protected by cooling devices applied immediately before and after treatment. 

Laser treatment is a safe, fast, and effective method for removal of unwanted blood vessels. In just a few treatment sessions (in some cases only a single treatment session) using the power of lasers/pulsed light, you can greatly improve the appearance of skin which is disfigured by unwanted blood vessels and “broken capillaries”.

New vs Old Systems:

Many of the early lasers caused bruising very easily, like KTP and tunable dye lasers

By contrast, the newer lasers, such as, the longer deeper penetrating 1064 nanometer wavelength, reaches even the unsightly blue vessels that can be several mm below the skin surface. Pulsed light systems are useful for spider veins, telangectasia, and matting of vessels, and other generalized redness or rosacea.

Like all lasers, the treatment works more efficiently on light colored skin -- so to minimize the number of treatments you need to try not to have a fresh suntan when you come in for treatment.

In addition, we are one of the few clinics to use the Syris Light illumination system. This cross-polarized, magnified, halogen illuminated device allows us to clearly visualize even your finest blood vessels when it is required.

Laser/pulsed light systems also allows us to precisely adjust the power and the duration of the pulse of laser energy to best suit the diameter and color of the unwanted blood vessels on different parts of your body. Some older laser systems lack this degree of fine control.

When it is used for laser removal of blood vessels, the laser/light energy target the blood (hemoglobin) in the vessels which you want to get rid of.

When blood vessels are treated, the laser has a special handpiece which allows a choice of spot sizes.

What areas of the body can be treated?

Most common areas for treatment are blood vessels on the thighs, lower legs and ankles. In men and women, unwanted red blood vessels on the nose and face, including those associated with acne rosacea and with sun damage, are successfully treated. Cherry hemangiomas (red dots on the trunk, arms and legs), and “spider vessels and angiomas” on the face, upper chest and other parts of the body are other commonly treated lesions.

Are their advantages over sclerotherapy?

With injection sclerotherapy, the operator inserts a needle into the blood vessel and tries to inject an irritating solution into the unwanted vessel. The body detects that the vessel has been damaged, and reabsorbs the unwanted vessel.

Injection sclerotherapy can be an excellent technique for the removal of large vessels on the legs, and injection sclerotherapy is superior to any kind of laser treatment for the removal of blood vessels which are thicker than 4 mm in diameter.

For example, injection sclerotherapy can be useful for large, deep blood vessels, which are easier to inject than to treat with laser. (Very large varicose veins may need the attention of a general or vascular surgeon for vein strippings or ligation).

How much does it cost?

Fees are per treatment session, and must be paid at the time of treatment with Visa, MasterCard, check or cash.

Treatment in our office is for age 18 and up. Physician laser consultation is available by calling our office for an appointment, no referral is necessary.

Prices for Laser Vein Treatment

We can give you a better estimate with your physician consultation, based on the clinical exam of your vein/vessel concerns. In most cases, we can commit to an exact fee after the laser consultation.  Averages $200 per 20 minutes of laser treatment time with a minimum charge of $200 per session.  Two or three sessions (many clinics do five or six sessions) may be necessary for best results, but even one treatment gives nice improvement.

What are the risks?

Short-term side effects may include a reddening of the skin over the treated vessels or local swelling which typically lasts less than a day, although it may infrequently last a few days. New laser/pulsed light systems with longer wavelengths are less likely than older lasers to cause prolonged irritation, pigment changes, or blistering.

Occasionally there can be increased or decreased pigment change in the treated area. This is seldom a major cosmetic problem, and generally resolves after several months.  Minimize sun exposure to prevent brown streaking.

Bruising can occur occasionally when treating vessels on the legs which are 2-4 mm in diameter. This is more of a nuisance than a major problem, and usually resolves within a few weeks without needing any treatment.

Even though risks of side effects are low, even with the best of care, adverse reactions can happen, because of individual sensitivities to laser and pulsed light that cannot be determined prior to treatment, and can include burns, redness, blistering, infection, bruising, hyper and hypo pigmentation, dried blood and superficial clots in destroyed vessels as they are absorbing away, and in very rare instances scarring.  These same reactions also occur as risks with sclerotherapy and sclerotherapy often can burn more if the chemical gets out into the tissue around the vessel and the chemical causes necrosis.

Is laser removal of blood vessels "permanent"?

There are no treatments for blood vessels (including laser) which can guarantee anybody "permanent blood vessel removal" forever.  New vessels are also always forming so regular maintenance treatments are needed.

Should I expect to be "free of unsightly blood vessels" in the treated area after the series of treatments?

No, usually a 70% to 90% improvement with a series of treatments is considered very good.

How many treatments?
The number of treatments will depend on the desired degree of blood vessel reduction.

Typically, one or two treatments are needed for facial vessels; and three or four treatments may be needed on the legs. On average, treatment can be done every 3-6 weeks on the face, and every 6-12 weeks on the legs. Cherry hemangiomas (red dots on the body) usually require one or two treatments.

Our office frequently uses a combination of modalities, to include lasers and pulsed light for the larger vessels, all based on the clinical judgment of the physician to give you the best treatment options.

Previous sclerotherapy or laser?

Laser/pulsed light has been successfully used on many people who were not able to tolerate -- or did not obtain satisfactory results with -- older short wavelength laser systems, including dye laser, ruby laser, alexandrite laser, and 800 nm diode lasers. Newer laser/pulsed light has also been beneficial for people who are having injection sclerotherapy for larger, deeper vessels and for people who have had injection sclerotherapy in the past.

Lasers and pulsed light systems are excellent for the treatment of vascular redness and rosacea of the nose, face, neck and chest area that can cause tremendous psychological impact to a patient.

What will happen on the treatment day?

Is it painful?

Yes, but most people handle it well.  The laser or pulsed light system emits only light. You may feel a tingling or snapping sensation like a rubber band. There is no bleeding and no open wound is created. 

Our careful use of cooling devices if needed, contributes greatly to the comfort and safety of our patients. In addition, with our laser/pulsed light systems we have the ability to adjust the frequency of laser pulses, the power level, the pulse duration and the beam width or head size in sensitive areas, to maximize your comfort.

Topical anesthetic creams often constrict vessels and make them harder to treat or respond to the treatment.

How will it look after treatment?

Redness often has faded greatly by the next day. Avoid tanning or sun exposure at least 1-2 weeks before any laser/pulsed light treatments.

It is important to note that even though side effects or adverse reactions are rare, they still can occur, and it is often impossible to predict with the best of care when these will happen, mainly because of increased individual sensitivity to laser or pulsed light and the subsequent reactions that occur. These can include burns, redness, dryness or scaling, bruising, blistering, hyper or hypo pigmentation, rashes, brownish staining of the skin, clots or phlebitis, infection, dried blood or superficial inflammation in destroyed vessels as they are absorbing away, and very rarely scarring to an area.

After the blood vessels are treated with laser energy, they sometimes swell up slightly, can look hive-like or welt like, and the body moves in to begin the job of removing and absorbing the treated vessels.  Healing can take up to 4 to 12 weeks.  Some discoloration can occur during healing.

Pre-treatment instructions:

Please try to minimize tanning for a week or two before treatment: a fresh tan can interfere a bit with the effectiveness of the laser/pulsed light treatment.

Please do not wear makeup on the areas to be treated.

Please shave or clip the hair in the areas to be treated the day before treatment or on the morning of treatment.

Some people find it helpful to simply take two plain Tylenol 2 hours before coming in for treatment.

Post-treatment instructions:

Redness often has faded greatly within a day or two. It would not be uncommon for the skin to be slightly drier that evening. The treated blood vessels may appear slightly more obvious for the next week or two, but this is seldom a cosmetic problem.  Total healing can take up to 4 to 12 weeks.

Try to avoid tanning for a week or two after treatment, because occasionally the tan could be somewhat irregular (lighter and/or darker in the treated areas.) and sunscreens are always smart options to protect your skin.

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