The use of laser for spider vein treatment has become common but many people may not be aware of the benefits it offers over standard Sclerotherapy. For many the idea of the “laser” congers up images from H.G. Wells “War of the Worlds”. While the laser was first conceived in science fiction, it has been developed into a safe and effective treatment for unappealing and sometimes painful spider veins.
The word LASER is short for Light Amplified by the Stimulated Emission of Radiation and was first constructed in the 1960’s. Laser is highly focused light of a specific wavelength. With this in mind and the fact that different molecules absorb energy of certain wavelengths, the laser allows the selective treatment of a specific target. Spider veins are filled with hemoglobin rich blood that absorbs energy in the form of light in the 1064 nm wavelength. The blood is then either coagulated or vaporized. This is done in a way that avoids over heating the surrounding tissues. After the vein is damaged, the body can then dissolve the vein thereby removing it over a course of 4-6 weeks.
Prior to the use of laser for spider vein treatment, these veins were treated by injection (Sclerotherapy) with either saline or another chemical. Sclerotherapy is traditionally considered the gold standard for treatment of spider veins; however, the laser has specific benefits over Sclerotherapy for the treatment of spider veins.
The laser uses light energy to coagulate and destroy the spider vein while Sclerotherapy uses a chemical to damage the vein and requires use of a compression stocking to flatten the vein and prevent it from refilling. No stockings are required after laser vein treatment and since no chemicals are required the risk of adverse allergic reaction is eliminated.
An added benefit the laser provides is one of increased efficiency. Large areas can be treated in one session in comparison to Sclerotherapy, where time and difficulty injecting very small veins may increase the number of sessions required to treat large numbers of veins.
Laser vein treatment can be an alternative to traditional Sclerotherapy for spider veins. The laser is less effective in treating larger veins and varicose veins. These veins are better treated with Sclerotherapy. Lasers have a “futuristic” appeal, and some may see it as better and safer than traditional methods. This is not always the case, as the laser is just another tool for the treatment of spider veins and must be performed by a practitioner that is familiar with spider veins and can assess each person to determine if the laser is best to achieve the individual goals.