Frequently asked questions about capillary and spider vein treatment

 

1. How many treatments will I need?
Most patients will see a 60-90% improvement in spider veins of the legs within 4 treatments and 70-90% improvement within 3 treatments for capillaries of the face.

2. How frequent will treatments be performed?
Treatments can be performed at 4-week intervals.

3. Are the effects permanent?
If you are predisposed to vascular disease (i.e. spider veins, capillaries) then you may continue to form them. However, the vessels that have been treated successfully will not return. Most patient’s report that it takes 3-5 years before new vessels form.

4. What kind of anesthesia will I receive?
Most patients experience a transient “stinging” sensation during the treatment. To reduce this discomfort, a topical anesthetic can be applied to the area before the treatment.

5. How do I take care of the treated areas?
Immediately after treatment, ice compresses can be applied for 15-20 minutes. Emollients such as B. Kamins Revitalizing Booster Concentrate, Aloe Vera gel or petrolatum ointments can be soothing when applied 2-3 times daily until healing is complete. A topical corticosteroid may be applied for the first few days to hasten the disappearance of redness.

6. When can I use make-up?
A non-comedogenic mineral makeup such as Jane Iredale can be applied after 24 hours.

7. How long do I have to avoid the sun?
Sun exposure is safe if no further treatments are planned. Sun protection is absolutely necessary before and in between laser treatments. Any degree of suntan will predispose to blister formation and pigmentary changes and may reduce the effectiveness of subsequent treatments. We recommend that you avoid the sun and wear a broad rimmed hat. Once you discontinue use of the petrolatum ointment, sunscreen (SPF 15-30) should be used to sun exposed areas.

8. What are the possible risks of the procedure?
Fortunately, side effects are uncommon when qualified personnel perform the laser procedure. However, the following complications may occur. Darkening (hyperpigmentation) may occur, especially in patients with darker skin tones. In other patients, skin lightening (hypopigmentation) may occur. These changes in color tend to gradually fade away in 1-3 months. There is a small chance of scarring (less than 1%), appearing as either thickened or depressed areas. To minimize the chances of these possible risks, it is important to follow all preoperative and postoperative instructions carefully.