Home » Skin » Laser Vein Treatment

Las Vegas Laser Vein Treatment

Put unsightly spider veins out of sight

You can appreciate the value of veins in your body, but do they have to appear right beneath your skin? The answer is no. Visible spider veins and broken capillaries that appear as we age don’t really serve a purpose, other than to take away from an otherwise healthy, vibrant appearance. Unsightly vascular lesions such as these on the face, legs, or body can be a real source of embarrassment, difficult to hide with makeup and even affecting clothing choices.

Fortunately, there is a lasting solution—the YAG pulsed dye laser. We’re proud to offer this advanced non-surgical vein treatment at Cosmetic Surgery of Las Vegas.

How does laser spider vein removal work?

Laser treatments use wavelengths of heat and light energy to target problems in the skin. For vascular tissue—spider veins, broken capillaries, and cherry angiomas, to name a few—our long-pulsed dye YAG laser emits a specific wavelength through the skin, which is absorbed by the vascular tissue. This energy causes the vein to collapse and retreat so it closes, reducing its appearance on the skin’s surface.

Key Benefits
  • Improved Appearance: Laser vein treatment effectively reduces the visibility of spider veins and small varicose veins, enhancing the cosmetic appearance of the skin.
  • Minimally Invasive: Unlike surgical options, laser vein treatment is non-invasive, involving no incisions or needles.
  • Minimal Discomfort: The procedure typically involves minimal discomfort compared to more invasive vein treatments like sclerotherapy or vein stripping.
  • Quick and Convenient: Laser treatments are usually quick (often under an hour) and can be done in an outpatient setting, with no hospital stay required.
  • No Downtime: Most activities can be resumed immediately after the treatment, making it convenient for those with busy lifestyles.
  • Reduced Risk of Side Effects: Compared to surgical treatments, laser vein treatment has a lower risk of side effects like scarring or infection.
  • Immediate Return to Daily Activities: Patients can typically return to their daily routine immediately after the procedure, with little to no need for a recovery period.
  • Improved Skin Comfort: By removing unsightly veins, the treatment can alleviate associated symptoms like aching, burning, or swelling.
  • No General Anesthesia: The procedure is typically performed under local anesthesia, reducing risks associated with general anesthesia.
Glossary
  • Capillaries: Small, fine blood vessels that are part of the circulatory system, often visible on the skin’s surface and can be targeted in laser vein treatments for cosmetic reasons.
  • Endovenous Laser Treatment (EVLT): A minimally invasive laser procedure used to treat varicose veins, involving the use of laser energy to close off problematic veins.
  • Laser Vein Treatment: A non-invasive procedure using laser technology to target and reduce the appearance of veins, commonly used for spider veins and small varicose veins.
  • Minimally-Invasive: Procedures that involve minimal disruption to the body, often requiring only small incisions or no incisions at all, and typically associated with quick recovery times. Laser vein treatments are considered minimally invasive.
  • Nd:YAG Laser: A type of laser commonly used in vein treatments, effective due to its longer wavelength, which allows deeper penetration and targeting of blood vessels.
  • Photothrombosis: The process used in laser vein treatments where light energy is absorbed by blood in the vein, causing the blood to coagulate and the vein to collapse and fade.
  • Pulsed Dye Laser: A type of laser that uses a concentrated beam of light, commonly used in the treatment of spider veins and vascular lesions.
  • Sclerotherapy: A treatment for varicose and spider veins, where a solution is injected into the veins to cause them to collapse. Sometimes used in conjunction with laser treatments.
  • Spider Veins (Telangiectasia): Small, dilated blood vessels visible on the skin’s surface, often red, blue, or purple, commonly treated with laser vein treatment.
  • Thermal Damage: The intentional damage to the targeted vein caused by the heat generated from the laser during treatment.
  • Ultrasound Imaging: A diagnostic tool that may be used in laser vein treatments to map out veins and guide the procedure.
  • Varicose Veins: Large, raised, swollen blood vessels that twist and turn, often appearing on the legs, and can be treated with laser vein treatments.
  • Vascular Lesions: Abnormal blood vessels in the skin or other tissues, which can include spider veins and varicose veins, targeted in laser vein treatments.
  • Vein Ablation: The process of closing off and collapsing a vein, which is the goal of treatments like EVLT.

How long do spider vein treatments take?

Treatments are quick—usually about 30 minutes or so—and require very little downtime. Improvement may be noticeable after the first treatment, and after a recommended series of several treatments, the appearance of spider veins and other smaller vascular lesions is noticeably diminished.

Am I a good candidate for laser vein reduction?

As with any treatment, certain patients will respond better to laser vein therapy than others. Long-pulsed YAG laser vein treatments are best suited to smaller veins about 3 millimeters in diameter or smaller, which is about the size of the typical bothersome spider vein in the face or ankles. For larger veins, sclerotherapy may be a better option. Likewise, laser therapy is not intended to treat varicose veins, which differ in nature from spider veins. If you are unsure about the best option for you, we are here to help. During a consultation, we will evaluate your skin and explain to you throughly and honestly what you might expect from laser vein treatments.

How long do the results last?

The veins affected by the long-pulsed YAG laser will be collapsed for the long term. However, nothing can stop the natural aging process, and new spider veins may form following treatment. Many patients address this by having follow-up treatments every few years to help maintain their appearance.

References »

Kulkin JM, Flash S. Laser vein therapy. Obstetrics and Gynecology Clinics of North America. 2010 Dec;37(4):501-6, vii. doi: 10.1016/j.ogc.2010.09.001. 

Brasic N, Lopresti D, McSwain H. Endovenous laser ablation and sclerotherapy for treatment of varicose veins. Seminars in Cutaneous Medicine and Surgery. 2008 Dec;27(4):264-75. doi: 10.1016/j.sder.2008.08.001. 

Kunishige JH, Goldberg LH, Friedman PM. Laser therapy for leg veins. Clinics in Dermatology. 2007 Sep-Oct;25(5):454-61. doi: 10.1016/j.clindermatol.2007.05.008. 

Ross V, Domankevitz Y. Laser leg vein treatment: a brief overview. Journal of Cosmetic and Laser Therapy. 2003 Dec;5(3-4):192-7. doi: 10.1080/14764170310021878. 

Harst K, Welzel J, Schuh S. How efficient is laser therapy for telangiectasias, spider veins, and cherry angiomas?-A study using dynamic optical coherence tomography. Lasers in Surgery and Medicine. 2023 Sep;55(7):625-635. doi: 10.1002/lsm.23676. 

Bernstein EF, Bhawalkar JD, Shang X, Qiu J, Basilavecchio LD, Plugis JM, Wang JY, Hsia JC. A laser platform incorporating a novel 524 nm laser pumped by a commercial hair removal laser effectively treats facial redness and lower-extremity spider veins. Lasers in Surgery and Medicine. 2022 Jan;54(1):82-88. doi: 10.1002/lsm.23451. 

Schedule a consultation

If you are interested in learning more about laser vein treatments and its benefits, contact us. We are here to answer your questions and help you choose the right course of action to improve your appearance and lose those unsightly veins.

Area Served