Q: I have both varicose veins and spider veins. With summer coming up, I want to wear shorts and not be embarrassed by them. What leg vein removal treatment options are available?
— Beth J.
A. If your varicose veins and spider veins are just developing and minor, there are ways to improve the condition and reduce any pain or swelling. If your varicose veins and spider veins are more severe with ongoing pain and swelling, you will need assistance from a skin doctor for leg vein removal. Additionally, you may still want to seek leg vein treatment based on the appearance of varicose veins and spider veins.
Leg vein removal treatment procedures can help you become free of varicose veins and spider veins. Varicose veins and spider veins usually aren’t serious but they can sometimes lead to other problems. Typically they are more of an appearance issue rather than a medical problem.
You can first try at home treatments if your leg veins are not severe. This includes:
- Wearing compression tights and/or stockings
- Elevating your legs
- Avoiding standing or sitting for long periods of time
- Increasing exercise to improve circulation
For more severe varicose veins and spider veins, you will need leg vein treatment or leg vein removal procedures. This includes:
- Surgery to remove or tie off veins
- Radiofrequency treatment to close off the vein
- Sclerotherapy to close off the vein
- Laser treatment to destroy the vein
The medical term for leg vein removal is endothermal ablation. This involves a heat energy treatment of the wall of the vein using radiofrequency or laser treatment. Los Angeles laser leg vein removal is also less invasive than surgery and has faster recovery times.
Candela’s GentleYAG laser vein removal and other vascular lasers treat vessels from superficial face veins to deeper blue leg veins. GentleYAG works on both women and men, regardless of their skin tones. Depending on the size and depth of the vein, the skin doctor will determine if the GentleYAG laser will be the most effective or if sclerotherapy would be more appropriate.
