Laser Spider Vein Treatment

Laser vein therapy is an effective way of treating unsightly broken and dilated vessels as well as other unwanted vascular lesions, such as spider veins, rosacea, port wine stains and other vascular birthmarks.

Laser spider vein treatment can eliminate defective superficial veins forcing blood to return to the heart through the normal deep venous system. In fact, the latest advances in laser technology have made laser spider vein treatment safer, faster and more effective than any previous treatments for vein problems.

Laser Spider Vein Treatment Procedure

Lasers work by emitting a specialized light that is passed through the skin and preferentially absorbed by its target, in this case the hemoglobin (the red portion of blood) in the unwanted vessels. The laser spider vein treatment causes the vein to break up and disappear.

Most patients describe the sensation from laser spider vein treatment as feeling like a rubber band snap. Your vein doctor may give you a topical anesthetic cream to numb the area before a laser spider vein treatment. Any discomfort felt during the laser spider vein treatment procedure can be eased with the application of cool compresses. After a laser spider vein treatment, you can immediately return to normal activities. Laser spider vein treatment is a procedure that doesn't require any downtime; unlike other vein treatments may require some downtime.

Laser Spider Vein Treatment Results

The laser spider vein treatment works by causing the unwanted vein to break up and dissolve. Resolution of the unwanted vein after a laser spider vein treatment will take place over the course of several weeks to months.

Leg Laser Spider Vein Treatment

Smaller leg veins (up to 1/8 inch or 3 mm) may respond well to laser spider vein treatment. For treating larger veins sclerotherapy may be more effective. Even larger veins are treated with treated by a process known as ambulatory phlebectomy which is the surgical removal of the vein. Your vein doctor will assess your specific situation and determine which vein treatment technique will benefit you the most and give you the best results.

Laser Spider Vein Treatment Side Effects

The most common side effect after a laser spider vein treatment is bruising around the treated area. The bruising will disappear within days of the laser spider vein treatment. The bruising only occurs with some lasers used. Your vein doctor will discuss with you any other risks of laser spider vein treatment during your consultation.

Vein Treatment With Endovenous Laser Therapy

Endovenous Laser Therapy works by means of thermal destruction of venous tissues. Endovenous techniques have largely replaced surgical vein stripping in many countries as the first-line treatment for saphenous incompetence.

Significant advances have occurred in the understanding, diagnosis, and management of venous insufficiency over the last decade or so, mostly owing to the use of duplex ultrasound (DUS) technology. An individualized treatment plan is developed based on the history and physical examination, findings of the consultation with a vein specialist, and goals of the patient.

Laser Spider Vein Treatment Advantages

In a traditional surgical approach to vein removal, ligation and division of the saphenous trunk and all proximal tributaries is followed by stripping or by avulsion phlebectomy. All surgical vein treatment methods require in most cases several incisions and patient downtime. Proximal ligation requires an incision at the groin crease while stripping of the vein requires additional incisions at the knee or below the knee and is associated with a high prevalence of minor surgical complications. Other vein removal techniques such as avulsion phlebectomy require multiple small incisions along the course of the vein and can cause damage to adjacent nerves and lymphatic vessels.

Laser spider vein treatment is a less invasive alternative to vein stripping and other surgical rein removal techniques.

Laser spider vein treatment is a procedure that is performed in an office setting using dilute local anesthesia. Laser spider vein treatment and other minimally invasive vein treatment techniques, such as radiofrequency ablation and chemical ablation, are increasingly being used instead of surgery to treat incompetent segments of the great saphenous vein, small saphenous vein, anterior accessory saphenous vein, and perforators.

Results from laser spider vein treatment have been reported to be equal to or better than stripping, with better quality-of-life scores in the postoperative period. Laser spider vein treatment has been shown to correct or significantly improve the hemodynamic abnormality in patients with chronic venous insufficiency (CVI) with superficial venous reflux.

Endovenous Laser Treatment (EVLT)

Endovenous laser therapy (EVLT) is used in the treatment of incompetent truncal varicose veins like great saphenous vein (GSV), small saphenous vein and accessory saphenous veins. A laser is introduced by a catheter that can be passed along small and crooked veins. In some cases the laser catheter cannot be passed along an extremely tortuous vein with ease.

Endovenous Laser Treatment or EVLT is a quick, minimally invasive, outpatient; laser spider vein treatment procedure that is performed utilizing imaging guidance. After applying tumescent anesthesia to the vein to be treated, the vein specialists inserts a thin catheter, about the size of a strand of spaghetti, into the vein under ultrasound guidance. Then the catheter which carries a tiny laser probe and a slim plastic sheath enters the vein via a tiny skin nick, is guided up the greater saphenous vein in the thigh or the lesser saphenous vein in the calf. Afterwards, pulses of laser light are delivered inside the vein by laser. The laser heats the vein and seals the vein closed. There is no post operative scarring and the patient can return immediately to their normal activities.

Benefits Of Endovenous Laser Treatment:

• Immediate relief from vein symptoms
• No scars
• Treatment is performed only under local anesthetic while patient is awake
• Minimal discomfort during the procedure
• Can be performed in the doctor's office (no hospitalization needed)
• Treatment time is less than an hour
• Normal activities can be resumed immediately by the patient - with little or no pain

Endovenous Laser Treatment Procedure

First, the patient will need to undergo a personal consultation with a vein specialist. Once the vein specialist determines that the patient is a good candidate for Endovenous Laser Treatment then the next step is to schedule the procedure.

On the day of the Endovenous Laser Treatment procedure, the patient undergoes application of local anesthetic spray and cream to the area to be treated to minimize pain or discomfort during the Endovenous Laser Treatment.

Then, the patient undergoes a mapping ultrasound before the Endovenous Laser Treatment procedure to confirm the patient's anatomy and area to be treated to decrease procedure time and note any changes from the time of the patient's consultation.

During the Endovenous Laser Treatment the vein to be treated is accessed by a catheter, which is a plastic tube enclosing the laser probe is inserted. The correct positioning of the laser probe is ensured by using the ultrasound as a guide, and also to ensure complete and accurate vein treatment. At this moment the tumescent anesthesia is applied around the vein to ensure effective action of the laser and minimize patient discomfort. A variety of laser wavelengths are in use for this procedure, including 810, 940, 980, 1064 and 1320 nm.

Laser energy is delivered to the desired incompetent segment inside the vein through a bare laser fiber that has been passed through a sheath to the location to be treated. When the laser is fired, it deposits thermal energy in the blood and venous tissues, causing irreversible localized venous tissue damage that forced the vein to close up. Permanent ablation of the vein is caused by thermal injury to the entire circumference of the vessel. The laser is most commonly delivered continuously as the laser fiber is gradually withdrawn along the course of the vein until the entire vessel is treated.

After the Endovenous Laser Treatment procedure is completed, the patient will be asked to wear medical compression stockings and will be given final post-procedure instructions. Before the patient leaves, the vein specialists will check that the vein treated by the laser has been effectively closed and that the branch varicose veins are appropriately treated by either foam sclerotherapy or microphlebectomy.

Each patient is able to walk out after an Endovenous Laser Treatment procedure and return to work. For some cases, depending on the severity of the procedure and the patient's type of occupation the patient may be asked to keep 1 or 2 days of bed rest.

In some cases, your vein specialist may use a Micropuncture Technique for Vein Access with No Surgical Cutdowns. This is a technique used to insert the laser fiber, which minimizes patient discomfort during the procedure, and that has led to a very high success rate.

Laser Spider Vein Treatment: Ideal Candidate

The laser spider vein treatment procedure especially helps those candidates that are in too much pain to perform their daily activities that are caused from the venous insufficiency or for those that just don't like the appearance of protruding veins.

The laser spider vein treatment do not work for all skin types it is important to speak with a vein specialist or a dermatologist to determine whether the laser spider vein treatment procedure will help you.

The laser spider vein treatment cannot help those that have recently taken Accutane or have in the last 18 months; the medication and the lasers do not mix well, and can hurt your skin.

The laser spider vein treatment doctor will have the final decision if you are the right candidate for the laser spider vein treatment procedure.

Contraindications to laser spider vein treatment include but are not limited to:

• Allergy to local anesthetic
• Hypercoagulable states
• Infection of the leg or area to be treated
• Lymphedema
• Nonambulatory patient
• Peripheral arterial insufficiency
• Poor general health
• Pregnancy or breast feeding
• Recent or active venous thromboembolism
• Thrombus or synechiae in the vein to be treated
• Tortuous great saphenous vein (GSV), possibly making placement of the laser fiber difficult

Laser Spider Vein Treatment Cost

There are many different factors that determine the cost of the laser spider vein treatment procedure. Those factors include: the extent of the procedure and where on the body you're getting the laser spider vein treatment, the laser spider vein treatment doctor you use, your geographic location and where the laser spider vein treatment procedure will take place.

The laser spider vein treatment procedure costs per session can range anywhere from $350 to $500 dollars. It is important to know that you will have to pay for each session and ask your doctor if there are any additional fees such as office rights, compression bandages of stocking costs, other medical supplies or anesthesia fees.

However, at the consultation the laser spider vein treatment specialist will be able to tell you if you are a good candidate for this procedure and how many laser spider vein treatment sessions will you require. This will help you figure out how much the entire laser spider vein treatment procedure will cost you.

This may sound costly, but in some cases, the laser spider vein treatment doctors can help start you on a financial payment plan if you do not have the money for this treatment available at once.

If you require laser spider vein treatment, you can apply online for specific financial loans. When you get approved, the financial loans will pay for the entire laser spider vein treatment procedure, and then you will have to pay the loans off.

The nice part of the laser spider vein treatment loans is that you are able to pay the on a monthly basis that includes an interest rate and you will be able to pay for this treatment over time.

Also for some cases, insurance companies may pay for some of the laser treatment but this is not the general case. You will have to discuss with the insurance companies if they cover laser spider vein treatment. The insurance companies will want to evaluate you and have your doctor fill out specific forms to see if you qualify for coverage of laser spider vein treatment.

Laser Spider Vein Treatment And Insurance Coverage

Laser spider vein treatments, like other cosmetic procedures, are usually not covered by your insurance company. To know more about vein treatment coverage for your medical plan, it is best to talk with your insurance provider.

Before The Laser Spider Vein Treatment Procedure

Before the laser spider vein treatment procedure the doctor may have you come in to test the different settings of the laser on the skin.

When the laser spider vein treatment doctor finds the right laser setting for you, you will then come back in a about a week to have the actual laser spider vein treatment procedure.

The Laser Spider Vein Treatment Procedure

When it is the day of the laser spider vein treatment procedure you will come back to the laser spider vein treatment doctor's office.

The laser spider vein treatment doctor or assistant will cleanse the area on the body where you are getting the treatment.

The laser spider vein treatment doctor will then start the laser spider vein treatment machine, and will have the laser light turned on and will go over the specific area on the body, the intense light from the laser treatment will remove the veins on the top surface of the skin.

The doctor will then start to run the probe over your body, as the laser is running over the body you may hear a zapping sound and may smell smoke as the laser goes over the face and the legs. The laser spider vein treatment procedure will melt down the treated veins closing them completely.

The laser spider vein treatment procedure can last anywhere from 15 to 60 minutes, this will depend on the size of the area that is being treated and how severe the vein problem is.

After the laser spider vein treatment procedure is finished the doctor will cover the area of the body that was worked on with an antibiotic ointment to help eliminate all the bacteria.

Will I Feel Pain During A Laser Spider Vein Treatment?

Before the laser spider vein treatment the area to be treated will be numbed with a local anesthetic. During the laser spider vein treatment you may feel slight burning or stinging sensation as the laser is ran over the body. However, the pain is minimal and there is virtually no downtime required after a laser spider vein treatment session.

Tumescent Anesthesia And Vein Laser Treatment

Tumescent anesthesia is one of the major advances in vein surgery and has been used most commonly for liposuction. Recently, tumescent anesthesia has been applied to other procedures including, particularly, vein surgery (ELV and ELVA).

When the tumescent anesthesia is administered, the tissues are flooded with large volumes of dilute liquid anesthetic (a solution of lidocaine and epinephrine that is buffered with sodium bicarbonate) and become distended. The unique features of the tumescent anesthesia is that it involves the use of a very low concentration of local anesthetic and the large volume of fluid used causes vessels to be compressed resulting in minimal bleeding. The anesthesia achieved by the tumescent technique is excellent and has a prolonged duration allowing the patient to get home long before the anesthesia wears off. Additionally, the post-operative discomfort seems remarkably diminished. There are no incisions in the groin. This solution should be delivered either manually or with an infusion pump under ultrasonographic guidance so the vein is surrounded with the anesthetic fluid along the entire length of the segment to be to minimize patient discomfort during the laser spider vein treatment.

The use of tumescent anesthesia has shown to be extraordinarily safe. Other benefits of tumescent anesthesia for vein treatment include the following: separation of vein to be treated from surrounding structures, thermal sink, which reduces peak temperatures in perivenous tissues and vein compression, which maximizes the effect of laser treatment on the vein wall.

Laser Spider Vein Treatment: How Many Sessions Are Required?

The laser spider vein treatment in many cases will require more than one treatment session. However, the number of treatments will depended on the extent of the problem and the patient's particular case.

Many laser spider vein treatments consist of at least 5 sessions before the vein treatment is complete and problematic veins are gone, or unnoticeable.

It is also important to know that the laser spider vein treatment helps remove veins, but do not prevent the formation of new problematic veins.

Laser Spider Vein Treatment Recovery & Follow-Up Care

After having a laser spider vein treatment session you may see some redness and swelling in the treated area. This should disappear within a few days.

Immediately after the laser spider vein treatment procedure, compression bandages or a class II compression stocking (ie, gradient of 30-40 mm Hg) is applied to the treated leg. Thigh-high– or panty-hose–style stockings are used. Adequate and proper compression is vitally important after any venous procedure. Compression can reduce the risk of venous thromboembolism, and it is also highly effective in reducing pain, discomfort, bruising and tenderness after the laser spider vein treatment.

Compression stockings or bandages are worn continuously for the first 72 hours, but they may be removed for showering thereafter. The compression stockings are worn for at least 1 week or as directed by the laser spider vein treatment specialist.

The veins will turn a purple and blue color that will look like a small bruise; this will fade away within 5-10 days. The laser spider vein treatment specialist will recommend putting an ice pack on the veins that were treated, and may also have you use frozen aloe vera gel and rub it over the area that was treated.

Bed rest, hot baths, heavy lifting, and long travel are generally forbidden for approximately 1 week after the laser spider vein treatment session but aerobic activity is encouraged such as jogging or cycling.

Majority of the redness and bruising from the laser spider vein treatment procedure will be gone after the first 2 weeks. If this lasts longer it is important to speak with your laser spider vein treatment doctor. The entire recovery stage after having a laser spider vein treatment will depend on the person. Each person will heal differently.

The patient is usually reevaluated about days 3 to 7 days after their laser spider vein treatment, at which time duplex ultrasound scanning (DUS) should demonstrate that the treated vein is incompressible and without flow, with no evidence of thrombus in the femoral or popliteal veins.

At 4 to 6 weeks after the laser spider vein treatment, there should be improvement of truncal varices confirmed by a medical examination, and an ultrasonographic evaluation should also demonstrate a completely closure of the vessel treated with the laser and no remaining reflux. If any residual open segments or branch veins are noted, then the laser vein specialist may recommend sclerotherapy with ultrasonic guidance.

Laser Spider Vein Treatment: Long Term Outcome

The laser spider vein treatment removes problematic veins, therefore eliminating all the problems associated with that vein. Laser spider vein treatment has a successful initial closure rate of 95-100%. The outcomes from this procedure are durable and persistent.

Once a patient has had laser spider vein treatment there is an important reported improvement in the patient's quality of life; additionally when comparing laser spider vein treatment with other vein treatment techniques such as litigation and stripping, results generally demonstrate equal or better outcomes with better quality of life in the postoperative period with laser spider vein treatment.

Laser spider vein treatment procedure may not erase all of the problematic veins in one session, but it can significantly reduce vein problems and greatly improve the appearance of the area treated.

It is important to know that the laser spider vein treatment procedure can help reduce the veins, but cannot prevent the new vein problems from arising. For severe cases more than one session may be required.

Laser Spider Vein Treatment Consultation

At the laser spider vein treatment consultation you will meet doctor, learn if you are a good candidate for laser spider vein treatment and how many laser spider vein treatment sessions you will need and their cost.

During consultation you will be asked questions about your general health and if you have had any previous vein treatments. It is important to be completely honest with your laser treatment doctor so that he or she can help you reach your goal. If you have ever had any other vein removal procedure it is important to let you laser spider vein treatment doctor know about it.

The first part of the laser spider vein treatment consultation will be the doctor getting more background information about you. He or she will get a complete medical history; the laser spider vein treatment doctor will examine the veins on the body to be getting treated.

During the laser spider vein treatment consultation the doctor will determine if the laser spider vein treatment procedure is right for you. If you are not a good candidate for this procedure, the doctor will recommend a different vein treatment that will be right for you.

If the doctor deems you as an ideal candidate for the laser spider vein treatment procedure then he or she will go into detail about the entire laser spider vein treatment procedure. This will include the different steps of the laser spider vein treatment procedure, how many sessions will be needed, where the laser spider vein treatment procedure will be performed and how much the procedure will cost.

After the doctor goes over the different steps of the laser spider vein treatment process, it will be your turn to ask specific questions, at this time you can ask to see before and after pictures of previous laser spider vein treatment patients and you could ask if your goals are realistic and make sure they can be met.

If you decide that this laser spider vein treatment procedure and vein specialist is right for you then it will be time to make the appointment for the first laser spider vein treatment session. If you have scheduled a laser spider vein treatment session the doctor will give you specific instructions to follow before the laser spider vein treatment.

If you do not feel comfortable about the laser spider vein treatment doctor or the laser spider vein treatment procedures do not make the appointment. You can always get a second opinion from vein specialists.

Finding The Right Laser Spider Vein Treatment Doctor

When searching for the right laser spider vein treatment doctor it is important to find out how experienced they are in performing laser spider vein treatment.

While looking for the right laser spider vein treatment doctor for you it is important to ask him or her some basic questions such as:

• Where did you get your laser spider vein treatment surgery training?
• How many times have you performed the laser spider vein treatment?
• How often do you perform laser spider vein treatment?
• Can I speak with previous laser spider vein treatment patients?

After speaking with the different laser spider vein treatment doctors you can choose the specialist that you feel most comfortable with. Once you have found the right laser vein specialist for you, then it is time to schedule the laser spider vein treatment procedure.

If you are searching for a laser spider vein treatment doctor please use our doctor locator to find a laser spider vein treatment specialist in your area.