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The following represent the most commonly asked questions
pertaining to the services provided at the Vein and Laser
Center. You may click on any question and you will be
taken to the appropriate answer. If you have any further
questions or seek clarification, don't hesitate to call
the center at
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How do I choose a vein/laser specialist?
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Many medical specialists provide vein treatment services:
Vascular Surgeons, Dermatologists, Plastic Surgeons and
others. The best results are obtained when the treatments
are performed by a highly experienced trained individual.
The informed patient will ask his or her physician the
following questions:
- How many procedures do you perform
per year?
- What percentage of your practice
is devoted to vein treatments?
- Do you belong to a society (eg.
American College of Phlebology)?
- Do you attend meetings pertaining
to the treatment of veins?
The patient should not be embarrassed to ask these questions.
The ethical physician would encourage these inquiries.
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What services are provided at the Vein and Laser Center?
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,
has been practicing since 1992 and specialization in the
treatment of the following venous problems:
- Breast and Body veins
- Hand Veins
- Varicose veins
- Spider veins and blemishes
- Venous leg ulcers
- Phlebitis
- Chronic leg swelling
- Facial veins, rosacea
- Difficult and recurrent venous
problems
Treatment modalities include:
- Injection sclerotherapy
- Laser sclerotherapy
- Minimally invasive microsurgery,
with immediate return to normal activities
Division of Laser aesthetics
for removal of unwanted hair
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How are varicose veins and spider veins treated at the
Center?
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After a thorough clinical evaluation, a treatment plan
will be designed to meet the individual patient's needs.
Treatment may consist of a combination of sclerotherapy,
laser treatments and microsurgery.
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Are the treatments painful?
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Most patients report minimal to no pain while undergoing
injection sclerotherapy or laser therapy. For patients
with heightened sensitivity or apprehensive patients,
an anesthetic cream is applied prior to the procedure.
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What about facial veins?
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The blush-like blemishes commonly seen on the face and
called telangiectasias are the result of sun exposure
and genetic predisposition. Laser treatment is highly
effective for these blemishes. Another treatable condition
seen in adults is rosacea, which responds equally well
to laser therapy.
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Are the treatments expensive?
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Vein treatments are relatively inexpensive, particularly
when compared to other cosmetic procedures. If the veins
are causing symptoms or there is a medical necessity,
many insurance plans will cover all or part of the treatment.
Surgery is almost always covered by most insurance and
managed care plans. An estimate of costs, along with payment
options, will be provided at the time of your first consultation.
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What is sclerotherapy?
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Sclerotherapy is a method of eliminating superficial varicose
or spider veins by injecting a special solution called
a sclerosing agent, directly into the vein. This causes
the vein to collapse and seal itself off, eventually to
be reabsorbed by the body. The blood is re-routed through
healthy veins.
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What is laser?
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Laser is an acronym for Light Augmentation by the Stimulated
Emission of Radiation. When a medium, such as a gas or
crystal, is stimulated by the flow of electrons, a special
kind of light called coherent light is generated. That
light can be used at various levels of intensity to specifically
destroy unwanted pigmented lesions, blood vessels or body
and facial hair.
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Do the treatments work for everyone?
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The majority of patients undergoing treatment will have
total resolution of the visible veins or at least a marked
improvement. There is approximately a 5% chance of having
only fair results in which injected veins have not completely
disappeared following treatment. Before and after photographs
are taken, so that patients may objectively assess their
results.
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How many treatments will be needed?
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The number of treatments required will vary with each
individual, depending on the extent of visible varicosities
and spider veins. A range of 1-8 treatments can be expected.
Pressure bandages applied to the injection sites should
remain in place for 24 hours after treatment.
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What recovery is involved?
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Normal activity may be resumed immediately, with the exception
of activities which may soak the dressings (i.e., swimming,
bathing). Legs should be elevated during rest periods.
Strenuous exercise may be resumed after the dressings
have been removed. Wearing elastic stockings is highly
recommended since this improves the cosmetic and functional
results of the treatment.
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What side effects can be anticipated?
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Some slight itching may be noted at treated sites from
a few minutes up to a day or two following treatment.
Transient discoloration of the skin, in the form of a
pale brown stain appearing along the pathways of the treated
veins, may occur. Generally, these resolve within 4 weeks,
but on rare occasion have taken up to 6 months to disappear.
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How are large varicose veins treated?
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At the Center, we have developed special expertise in
the diagnosis and treatment of large, symptomatic varicosities.
A detailed clinical evaluation will include a venous
ultrasound examination called a Duplex Scan. This scan
helps to map the affected veins and identifies areas
of abnormal valve function and reflux.
EndoVenous Laser Therapy, or EVLT, is
a minimally invasive laser closure of the greater saphenous
vein. Valve failure in this large vein ascending from
the knee to the upper inner thigh is largely responsible
for the formation of the bulging varicosities frequently
seen in the lower leg. The procedure can be done in
the office under local anesthesia. A special laser-tipped
fiber is passed through a small catheter inserted into
the greater saphenous vein. As the laser is activated,
the resulting heat at the tip causes a reaction in the
walls of the vein, causing them to stick together. The
varicosities associated with this vein then disappear
as blood from the lower leg reroutes through the deeper
circulation. At most, a small incision of only a few
millimeters length is made to insert the catheter. Because
there are no large incisions or general anesthesia to
recover from, normal activities can be resumed soon
after EVLT, including driving and exercise.
In a procedure called ambulatory phlebectomy, ligation
and microextraction of the affected veins is performed
under local or regional anesthesia, through tiny incisions
that do not require stitches. This allows for rapid
return to normal activities with minimal to no discomfort.
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Will the veins come back?
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In a small percentage of patients, the natural tendency
to form spider veins will lead to the formation of new
clusters in other areas many months or years following
treatment. It is recommended to treat those areas as they
appear during a touch-up or maintenance session.
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