Photoderm Spider Vein Removal

Improve or eliminate unsightly and painful spider veins with Photoderm treatments.

Photoderm is a non-invasive medical system that uses light therapy to eliminate spider veins on the face and legs using light energy that is gently delivered to your skin in pulses, through a delicate computer-controlled hand piece. During this procedure, the light sends pulses to the vein, targeting blood vessels without harming the surrounding tissue. The light heats up the blood, causing it to clot and break down the blood vessel.

Due to the body's natural healing process, the blood will be reabsorbed, while the veins will disappear. Because the laser light used in this spider and varicose vein treatment goes straight to the vein, there is little or no risk of burns or blisters on the skin.

What are Spider Veins?

Unwanted and unattractive blood vessels called spider veins appear mostly on the legs, occasionally on the face, or elsewhere. Spider veins can be short, unconnected lines, each about the size of a large hair, they may be connected in a scraggly, 'sunburst' pattern, or they may even look like a spider-web or a tree with branches. Sometimes they occur on a small area and aren't very noticeable, or they can cover a large area of skin and be quite unattractive.

What causes Spider Veins?

Although the exact cause of spider veins is unknown, it is known that they are related to abnormal blood flow in the affected veins. Any condition or activity that puts pressure on leg veins (such as gaining weight and sitting or standing for long periods of time), can contribute to their development. Spider veins often appear during pregnancy. Other contributing factors include sustaining an iscury in the affected area, taking medications that affect hormones, such as birth control pills, advanced age, and a family history of spider veins. Spider veins on the nose or face, which typically appear as unsightly red or pink clusters, may also be related to overexposure to the sun.

Spider veins may carry blood, but are not necessary.

Though unwanted blood vessels, such as spider veins and varicose veins carry blood, the great majority of them, especially spider veins, are not necessary. Since these veins are not needed for circulation, the question in treating them is how to eliminate them, not "repair" them.

Photoderm Spider Vein Removal or Sclerotherapy?

Photoderm Spider Vein Removal is non-invasive, and therefore more appealing to most patients because it does not use needles or incisions. Still, when the intense pulsed light (IPL) hits the skin, the patient feels a heat sensation that can be uncomfortable. Cooling helps reduce the pain. Laser treatments last for 15 to 20 minutes. For spider veins larger than 3 mm, laser therapy is not very practical.

Until recently, most spider leg veins were treated with sclerotherapy. This invasive technique involves injecting a sclerosing solution directly into the vein, causing it to close up and disappear into the body within a matter of weeks. Eventually, the vein becomes barely noticeable or invisible. While sclerotherapy is successful in the majority of patients, side effects include fear of needles, skin ulceration, matting (the formation of very fine blood vessels that appear as pink patches), brown staining of the skin, and, very rarely, blood clots or allergies to the solution.

During your examination and consultation, we will explain the positives and negatives of each treatment, so that you can select the spider vein removal procedure that it right for you.

Preparing For Your Photoderm Spider Vein Removal Treatment

Patients should avoid strong sunlight during the course of treatment and for at least 3-4 weeks afterwards. It is recommended that an SPF 30 is used on treated areas. Tanned skin cannot be treated and patients must not use any fake tan 6 weeks ahead of and during the entire treatment period.

What Should You Expect During Your Spider Vein Removal Procedure?

During a Photoderm Spider Vein Removal procedure, the light sends pulses to the vein, targeting blood vessels without harming the surrounding tissue. The light heats up the blood, causing it to clot and break down the blood vessel. Because of the body's natural healing process, the blood in the targeted veins will be reabsorbed, while the veins will disappear. Because the laser light used in this spider and varicose vein treatment goes straight to the vein, there is little or no risk of burns or blisters on the skin.

After treatment, the unsightly red veins are significantly diminished and the skin is returned to a more natural, uniform state. It is important to remember, however, that laser removal does not deter the normal effects of aging and that treatment does not prevent the occurrence of new spider veins.

For more information about Spider Vein Removal...

Of course, we'll be glad to answer your Spider Vein Removal, so don't hesitate to call the DermaVogue Clinique and Aesthetic Laser Center at (843) 357-2444 for our Garden City location or (843) 272-4071 for our North Myrtle Beach location. You can also request a Free Photoderm Spider Vein Removal Consultation online.