With the advancement of medical laser technology, today lasers can be used safely and effectively to treat spider veins of the legs - without surgery or injections!

Spider veins are wavy, thin, reddish-purple veins that are visible on the legs. Often they are clustered on the thigh or below the knee, or near the ankles. Spider veins and telangiectasias of the face and chest are most often treated with intense pulsed light therapy. Higher energy treatment is necessary for leg therapy. We treat these unsightly leg veins with the Lumenis OneT utilizing its specific wavelength laser (Nd:YAG 1064nm) equipped with a chill tip that cools prior to, during, and after the actual pulse of heat generation to the vessels.

The laser light is directed into the vessel, converted into heat energy, and then causes collapse of the vein wall without causing damage to the surrounding tissue.

Spider veins, or telangiectasias, affect as many as 80% of all women as they age, as well as a large percentage of men. The cause is largely genetic, although other culprits include pregnancy, childbirth, use of birth-control pills, estrogen-replacement therapy, previous injury, and use of corticosteroids.

Telangiectasias are not usually significant from a medical standpoint, but the associated cosmetic embarrassment may make one reluctant to wear a bathing suit or a pair of shorts. Many ladies are confined to long or uncomfortable clothing due to their reluctance to bare their legs.

The Lumenis OneT laser produces short, adjustable pulses of light to treat a wide range of vessel diameters at various skin depths. The specially designed treatment head is aimed at the vessel to be obliterated and the laser pulse is fired. There may be some discomfort that is minimized with the chilled tip of the laser or other cooling techniques or local anesthetic gels. Deeper bluish vessels are more uncomfortable to treat than the red spiders, but most patients tolerate the procedure with minimal complaints. There is no break in the skin and no needles are used. Most patients describe the treatment as a sensation of having a rubber band snapped on the skin. The adjustable pulses minimize the risk of the purplish bruising (purpura) that is a side effect of other lasers.

Laser treatments for leg telangiectasias depend on the quantity, size, and depth of the veins. Multiple sessions are required and are usually spaced 6-8 weeks apart and are performed in the doctor's office without the costs and risks of hospitalization or general anesthesia. The appearance of the treated area varies from patient to patient. There may be an immediate disappearance or lightening of the vessel. Immediately after the treatment, you may experience some minor redness, light crusting and a burning sensation that lessens over a few hours. Topical preparations are applied after treatment to help with any discomfort.