While it is not entirely clear what causes spider veins, heredity, pregnancy and hormones are likely major contributing factors. Up to 40% of women are plagued by varicose/spider veins. Sclerotherapy is the gold standard for treatment of spider veins. It is performed by injecting a safe sclerosing material directly into the blood vessels with the intent of collapsing them. We will decide which sclerosing material should be used and whether or not it should be foamed to increase effectiveness based on the size and nature of the vessels to be treated. Compression stockings must be worn for a period of time to improve results and help minimize transient side effects such as hyperpigmentation. Typically, an average of 3-4 treatments is required and some veins may not respond to treatment.

Using the 1064 Nd:YAG laser, you can have small dilated blood vessels around the face and legs as well as even deeper blue veins in the legs as well as other vascular conditions such as angiomas and port wine stains removed safely and effectively. Topical anesthesia is usually not used because it tends to constrict the blood vessels, making treatments less effective. Following the procedure, you may notice some redness and swelling that persists for a couple of days. In the case of leg vein treatments, compression stockings must be worn for a period of time immediately after the procedure. This laser treatment can be used in lieu of sclerotherapy in patients who prefer less invasive treatments as well as in conjunction with sclerotherapy to treat non-responsive veins.