Spider and varicose veins, and other vascular marks

Spider veins are small, dilated blood vessels that appear red or blue under the skin. While spider veins typically appear on the legs, they can also appear on the face or elsewhere. They can may be in short, unconnected lines each about the size of a hair, or connected in a matted, sunburst pattern.

Varicose veins are enlarged blood vessels in the legs which appear blue and bulging under the skin. They are caused by damaged or diseased valves which allow backward flow of blood back down into the legs.  Spider Veins treatment and removal Los Angeles

Other blemishes which are vascular lesions include rosacea, port wine stains and some kinds of birthmarks.

Laser treatment heats the veins so that they coagulate and stop functioning, and then the damaged veins are cleared out over time by the immune system. They are replaced by fewer vessels and a more normal color.

The laser light is chosen for maximum absorption by the veins while minimum absorption by the skin.

Treating varicose veins by laser

Varicose veins are thicker and deeper, and thus more treatments are required. A treatment session is typically 10 to 15 minutes long, and repeated at one to two month intervals.

Since the mid-1980s, lasers have been successful used to clear out unsightly veins, and the process has been improved over time. The current state of the art is treatment by the latest kind of Nd:YAG ("Neodynium-yag") laser designed specifically for vein reduction. The Nd:YAG laser, also known as the CoolGlide Excel laser, is effective across different skin pigment races, including Caucasian, Asian, African-American, Middle Eastern and tanned skin.

The CoolGlide Excel laser often removes a wide range of leg veins in 1 to 2 treatments, including vascular lesions from fine telangiectasia and spider veins. Large, deep reticular leg veins can also be treated. For the most serious cases of varicose veins in the legs, some surgery clinics insert a laser light fiber inside the veins.

Another treatment to date has been "sclerotherapy", whereby a medication is directly injected into a varicose vein. Again, our  office does not perform this procedure.

Advancements in laser technology for treating veins has resulted in the use of longer laser exposure times (or pulse durations) to enable more effective removal of larger diameter leg veins while reducing the risk of skin burning and bruising, and to improve healing times.

However, for cases of large varicose veins, we must first assess your condition before we decide whether or not we think laser treatment is your best option.

Find out more about treating your varicose veins and other skin blemishes

To schedule an appointment to discuss how we can treat varicose veins and other vasuclar blemishes on your skin, feel free to contact us at 818-888-8042