How It Works!
There are three parts to laser technology that make vein erasing effective: the pulse duration, which is the amount of time the laser is on the treatment area; Joules, which is how hot the laser is, and the spot size, which is the diameter of the beam.
The Pulse Duration:
Tthe laser energy should be adequate enough to destroy the vein color, but not effect the skin.
Joules:
The laser is designed to kill the blue color of the spider vein. Joules is the amount of energy required to sufficiently heat the vein to the damaging temperature, so that the color is erased.
The Spot Size:
The diameter of the distance gauge, which is the part of the laser that touches your skin, should be the appropriate size related to the depth of the vein being treated (in other words, a small spot size for a small, surface vein, and a large spot size for a larger, deeper vein).
We zap the veins with the laser, and they disappear RIGHT BEFORE OUR EYES. The laser kills the color in the vein. But…then…the vein returns about 30 seconds later, and it is bruised and swollen – it looks like a cat has scratched you. The treated vein can be swollen and bruised for a few days up to a few weeks. The use of support hose is recommended while the veins are healing.
Erasing facial or nasal veins is quick and feels like a rubber band snap. In most cases, the veins disappears RIGHT BEFORE OUR EYES. Quite often, leg veins need to be treated in two treatments – the first treatment will be to remove all the blue veins, and the remaining red veins will be erased at the second treatment. The duration of time between treatments depends on how quickly your veins heal from the first treatment.
Preparation for the Treatment:- The day prior to your laser treatment, please shave any hair on the treatment area.
- Avoid direct sun exposure (being in the sun without sunscreen) on the area(s) you’re having treated for seven days prior to your treatment.
- Also, don’t use Retin A on the area(s) to be treated for seven days prior to your treatment.
- Finally, if you are using Accutane, please let us know prior to scheduling your appointment.
During the Treatment:
If you’ve never been to our office before, you’ll have some paperwork to complete, including a medical history, skin type chart, and laser consent form. This takes just a few minutes. Once our technician has reviewed your history and has answered all your questions, we’ll escort you to the laser room. You’ll need to take clothing off any area we’re treating. We’ll ensure there is no hair present on the area(s) we’re treating, then wipe the area to be treated with a wash cloth or baby wipe. We’ll measure the width of your veins and appropriately calibrate the laser, then you and the technician will don the appropriate safety goggles. Let the zapping begin!
If you have a low tolerance for pain, there is a topical anesthetic available for purchase from our office; it does require a minimum of 30 minutes to activate, so we’ll need to plan according for that.
Length of Time for the Treatment:
Typically, nasal veins and facial veins take about 10 minutes to treat, while leg veins can very in length of time to treat. Because of the efficiency and speed of the laser and the laser tech, an inch of vein typically takes about 10 seconds to treat. We have found that most people prefer 10-15 minutes for vein erasing.
After the Treatment:
You may have some bruising and swelling if you had a vein erasing treatment on your face. Leg veins typically are bruised and swollen (like a cat has scratched you). We recommend that you bring support hose, lycra pants, or pantyhose to wear after a leg vein treatment, which you’ll want to wear for a minimum of 3 days following the treatment. The more compressed and the longer you can keep the treated veins while they are healing, the quicker they will heal. Your skin will be sensitive to the sun, so you’ll apply sunscreen before you leave our office. We have sunscreen for your use, so don’t worry about bringing in your own (though you can if you want). You will be able to go about your life after the treatment, and you can shower, apply makeup, etc. Shaving while the veins are healing is not recommended.
