What are some possible side effects?
After a laser vein treatment you will have short-term redness and irritation (swelling) of the treated area that looks almost like a “cat scratch” on the skin. This usually lasts a couple hours but occasionally lasts for a few days.
Some people experience mild pigmentation changes after treatment, but these are temporary. Other patients suffer from slight swelling, bruising, or redness in the treated areas, but again, this is temporary. Normal physical activity can be resumed after 24 hours in most cases, but care should be taken to avoid sun exposure and to wear a sunblock of 30 SPF or higher.
Complications are very rare, but may include:
Blistering or crusting over the treated area rarely occurs – but is treated with Neosporin and aloe vera ointment and usually heals within a week.
Hypo- (lighter) or hyper-pigmentation (darker) in the treated area. Fortunately this occurs in less than 3% of treatments. This infrequently problem usually resolves after several months. You can lessen the risk of this by keeping the treated area out of the sun for several weeks before and after your treatment.
Is laser vein removal permanent?
The veins that we remove during your laser vein removal in Denver are gone forever – but you have small blood vessels over your entire body, flowing just below the skin. The same processes that created the spider veins in the first place are still occurring under the skin, and will result in the formation of new broken capillaries and spider veins over time. This is especially true if there is a family history of spider or varicose veins, or if you become pregnant or take oral contraceptives. We recommend a touch-up treatment every 1-2 years to address any new veins that appear.
How many treatments will I need?
The number of treatments needed depends on how many veins you have, the size and resilience of the veins, and how well your body responds to the laser treatment. Most people will have 70%-90% improvement after completing a course of treatments.
Generally speaking, leg veins need 3-4 treatments, while facial veins can typically be treated with 1-2 sessions. Treatments can be repeated at 6 - 8 week intervals to allow for complete healing, and you may have as many vein treatments in Denver as you wish to achieve your desired results.
How fast do veins grow back (If they do)?
Regrowth of tiny blood vessels is very unpredictable. Unfortunately, you cannot stop the process of aging that sometimes creates new blood vessel blemishes. You can, however, protect your skin from further sun damage that can cause some blood vessels to appear by wearing sunblock spf 45 – 60 and protective clothing.
We recommend support stockings (graded compression stockings) for the legs to reduce the growth of large varicose veins, but it doesn’t usually curb the growth of the smallest blood vessels (less than 3mm) on the legs.