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These bluish-purple veins usually appear on the nose, cheeks, chin and legs. While they are not painful, they can be embarrassing.
Candela’s new GentleYAG® laser can quickly and effectively remove these veins with minimal discomfort.
During the laser vein removal procedure, a special handpiece delivers heat to the targeted vein while Candela’s Cooling Device™ protects the skin. This heat forces the blood vessel to coagulate, causing it to be slowly destroyed and absorbed by the body. The entire laser vein removal process takes just a few minutes to 1/2 hour and the recovery time is minimal.
Fast Facts
Frequently Asked Questions
1) How does the laser work?
The laser emits intense pulsed energy in the green light range. Since hemaglobin contained within blood absorbs green light, we are able to introduce this energy through the skin effectively targeting and heating blood within facial vessels and leg veins. A water-cooled sapphire chill tip attached to the laser head increases patient comfort and appears to protect the outer layers of the skin during the delivery of laser energy. The long pulse duration does not cause unsightly bruising as seen with older technology.
2) How successful is this process in the treatment of blood vessels?
The degree of success will vary from patient to patient, however, studies show that the success in the treatment of facial blood vessels range between 75-90% with a single treatment. Leg veins appear to show a 50-75% response after one or two treatments.
3) How is the laser treatment performed?
Patients scheduled for treatment in general do not require any anesthetic, either locally or topically since the chill tip greatly reduces the degree of discomfort associated with the laser impacts. Protective eyewear is supplied for everyone in the procedure room and remains on during the entire treatment. Blood vessels are treated with one or more laser passes in order to achieve the clinical endpoint of vessel disappearance or vessel coagulation. Patients will then be discharged with instructions regarding the care of the lasered sites.
4) What will I look like after treatment?
Most patients after treatment have some swelling and pinkness within the treated sites. This will diminish over a 24-48 hour period. On occasion fine superficial crusting (looks like a cat scratch) and blister formation may occur, especially in the treatment of leg veins. If this occurs, patients are asked to clean the area gently with mild soap and water twice daily and apply an antibiotic ointment.
5) What are the risks associated with laser treatment?
Laser treatment for facial blood vessels and leg veins has been free of significant complications. The risks of scarring appear to be very small when compared to older lasers and non-laser treatment methods. There is a chance of temporary pigmentation disturbances, especially in patients who are darker skinned or who have a tan. On occasion postoperative crusting and blistering are noted but this is not associated with any significant increased risks of complications. |
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