Here we will dispel those myths and give you the reality…

Myth #1:  TREATMENT IS PAINFUL

Origin:

Most people who think that treatment is painful are thinking about old treatments they have had for varicose veins.  Vein stripping and ligation was far more common years and was a surgical procedure.  Today we use two common treatment options for spider veins, sclerotherapy and laser treatments.  Sclerotherapy involves injections directly into the vein to cause its collapse, people just think “pain” whenever they hear injections.  Laser treatments are a natural evolution of treatments like EVLT which would insert a probe into the vein.

Reality:

Treatment is not painful! Sclerotherapy uses needs with the said type of needles that are used in Botox.  In the hands of a skilled physician you will feel almost nothing during the injection process.  For laser treatments we use an Nd:YAG laser.  This laser is extremely powerful but almost completely painless.  We use a separate cooling machine to cool the area before the laser is used.  In almost all cases that alleviates the need for even light topical anesthesia.  In short, modern spider vein treatments are pain free.

Myth #2: TREATMENT IS EXPENSIVE

Origin:

Again, some of this misconception comes from past treatments for varicose and spider veins.  Old techniques such as ligation and vein stripping were actual operations.  The doctor needed to reserve an operating room, etc.  Those inherent costs have to be passed directly to the end consumer.  It was an economic reality of the time.

Reality:

The reality is that spider vein treatments can be cost effective.  You should consult with the physician when it comes to pricing.  You will see “discounted” treatments for as little as $250.  That may seem like a good deal but it may be for “one area” and it may involve treatment from someone who isn’t a doctor or surgeon.  We encourage our patients to take advantage of our free consultation where we can provide pricing based on your specific case.  Spider veins are usually a cosmetic treatment and out of pocket expense, you should ask questions so there are no financial surprises.

Myth #3: ANY TREATMENT CENTER CAN PROVIDE GREAT RESULTS

Origin: 

There is not so much of an origin to this myth but rather the abundance of marketing around spider vein treatments recently from medical spas.  Today it seems like anyone with a laser or a syringe is happy to provide treatment.  Dermatologists offices are offering treatment even though it’s outside of the core area of expertise.  Treatment for any venous disease – including spider veins – should not be treated as a commodity as should be conducted be a trained vascular surgeon.

Reality:

This is the most dangerous myth that is out there about spider and varicose vein treatment.  It’s important for the consumer to know that all laser aren’t created equal.  At the San Diego Vein Institute we use different laser for different procedures.  Mismatching the laser to the treatment need can result is poor results, increased pain, and an overall bad experience.  Additionally, our physicians work to stay up on the latest advances in areas such as foam sclerotherapy.  Make sure physicians in the practice are board certified and specialize in vein treatment.

Causes

Venous disease, including telangiectasia (“spider veins”) have a number of potential contributing factors including: body weight, age, and genetics.  Take a look around you, almost everyone will have spider veins to some degree during their life.  You don’t see them?  That’s because spider veins don’t always occur on visible parts of the body, even during beach seasons.  If you are prone or predisposed to spider veins you’ll probably start to see them on your legs and face.  So what happens when you want to take a nice Sunday stroll on the beach?  If you don’t want to be restricted to covering up, if you want to show off your legs, or you just plain don’t want to look at them in the mirror, there are treatments.

Solutions

Spider veins are not difficult to treat, and today’s technology advances have made them pain free in-office procedures that typically take 30-60 minutes.  Here are two of the treatment options that we recommend here at the San Diego Vein Institute:

Laser Therapy

Not all laser treatments are equal.  Here at the San Diego Vein Institute we use the top-of-the-line Nd:YAG laser.  For those of you who want to know all of the details, this stands for neodymium-doped yttrium aluminum garnet.  Essentially it’s a crystal that’s commonly used in the most advanced, most powerful, and most expensive lasers.  The Nd:YAG laser can penetrate the skin and goes right to the veins where it is highly absorbable by blood.  This what creates an optimal treatment for spider veins on sensitive areas like the face without damaging the surrounding skin tissue.  The Nd:YAG laser was also design with patients in mind, they come with a cooling tip which minimizes discomfort and removes the need for anesthetic.

After treatment, the tiny, damaged vessels collapse.  Blood can no longer enter and is routed to neighboring healthy veins. The veins eventually collapse veins and are painlessly reabsorbed by the body leaving no scars or visible marks.

Foam Sclerotherapy

Sclerotherapy is another treatment method we commonly use for the treatment of varicose and spider veins.  The treatment method is different but the results are very similar, causing veins to collapse, blood to be rerouted, and soon the collapsed veins are reabsorbed.  If you research sclerotherapy there will be on name that you see over and over again: Asclera.  So what is Asclera?  It’s the brand name for a chemical called polidocanol.  Patients treated with polidocanol report extremely high levels of satisfaction, thanks to its effectiveness and that it’s pain free for the patient.  Polidocanol is administered through injection directly into the affected vein using a thin needle.  Similar to laser treatments you’re looking at an average treatment time of 30-60 minutes with very little recovery discomfort.

At the San Diego Vein Institute we typically use foam sclerotherapy.  Research has shown that it’s around 7 time more effective than regular sclerotherapy.  Foaming the treating agent allow it to replace the blood in the spider vein rather than mixing with it which yield a more effective treatment.  However, we do have to take extra steps to ensure safe and effective treatment including the use of an ultrasound.  Not only will an ultrasound be used before the treatment it will be used during the procedure.  It is more time consuming for the physician but the ultimate results and patient satisfaction are worth the effort.

Treat Yourself Today

With today’s pain free and quick treatment options there’s no reason to let any cosmetic vein issue bother you any longer.  Enjoy the summer, enjoy the fall, enjoy yourself year round.  To learn more and schedule a free consultation, call the San Diego Vein Office today and as for an appointment.