Laser Vein Removal

Many people are embarrassed by the appearance of spider veins on the face or legs. Spider veins are actually dilated or stretched blood vessels, not "broken" blood vessels, as is commonly thought. Their precise cause is unknown, but it is thought that heredity, excessive standing, weight gain, hormonal changes and pregnancy may be some of the causes.

The removal of spider and small varicose veins by laser therapy is safe, effective and non-surgical. The laser is applied to the vein to be removed.  The laser light is absorbed by hemoglobin, a substance in the blood that gives it a red or purple color. Brief light pulses are delivered to the vein, causing the vessel to coagulate and subsequently be absorbed by the body as part of a natural healing process. The procedure takes just a few minutes and does not involve any incisions to the skin.

Advantages of the laser include no needles, the ability to treat small vessels (sometimes difficult to do with sclerotherapy) and increased safety in treatment of certain areas, especially the ankle.

Typically 3 to 5 treatments are required and should be performed every 6 weeks. Some veins may disappear after a single treatment while others may take longer.  Studies have shown an average of 70% improvement after 1 to 2 treatments on the face and after 3 to 4 treatments on the legs.