Feel Better About How Your Legs Look, Without Invasive Surgery

Millions of women are bothered by spider veins - those small yet unsightly clusters of red, blue or purple veins that appear on the thighs, calves and ankles, and varicose veins which are potentially harmful and painful. If you are troubled by these vein conditions, you’re not alone. It's estimated that over half of the adult female population is plagued with them. Superficial spider veins and deeper varicose leg veins may be successfully eliminated with laser therapy and injections, often eliminating the need for invasive surgery and risks of general anesthesia. The clinical team at SkinCare Physicians & Surgeons is able to safely treat patients very effectively. The treatments require little or no downtime for patients and leave only the most imperceptible scars.

How Do These Treatments Work?

Using the Gentle YAG laser, pigment in the damaged vein is selectively targeted. The abnormal vein absorbs the light from the high intensity laser, which causes it to shrink and collapse.

For superficial spider veins and deeper varicose veins sclerotherapy can also be an effective method. These veins can be obliterated with an injectible solution through a tiny needle. The solution causes the veins to become sclerosed and reabsorbed by the body before they become varicosed. The procedure may also remedy the bothersome symptoms associated with spider veins, including aching, burning, swelling and night cramps.

What Happens After Treatment?

Following sclerotherapy, tight-fitting support hose may be prescribed to promote healing. You may be instructed to wear the support hose for 72 hours or more.

It's not uncommon to experience some cramping in the legs for the first day or two after the injections. This temporary problem usually doesn't require medication. You should be aware that your treated veins will look worse before they begin to look better. When the compression dressings are removed, you will notice bruising and reddish areas at the injection sites. The bruises will diminish within several weeks. In many cases, there may be some residual brownish pigmentation which may take weeks or months to completely fade. Although you probably won't want to wear any leg-baring fashions for about two weeks, your activity will not be significantly limited in any other way from sclerotherapy treatment. You will be encouraged to walk to prevent clots from forming in the deep veins of the legs. However, during the period of time immediately following treatment, prolonged sitting and standing should be avoided, as should squatting, heavy weight lifting and "pounding" type exercises, including jogging.

After each session, the veins will appear lighter. Depending upon your treatment plan, two or more sessions are usually required to achieve optimal results.

While laser treatments and sclerotherapy can obliterate the noticeable veins for good, it's important to remember that treatment will not prevent new spider veins from emerging in the future. As time passes, you may find that you need "touch-ups" or full treatments for new veins that surface. But even if you choose not to have further sclerotherapy, your legs will look better than if you never had treatment at all.