Every year, over 40 million Americans are affected by varicose veins. Unfortunately, only around 1.9 million Americans seek treatment for their diseased veins, such as leg vein removal. This is a significant problem because, when left untreated, varicose veins can lead to chronic venous insufficiency and symptoms can become severe. At La Reve Skincare & Laser Center in Fort Worth, TX, we strongly believe that leg vein removal is right in nearly all cases of varicose veins.
When Laser Leg Vein Removal Is the Right Solution
When You Have Reticular Veins
Reticular veins are diseased veins measuring roughly two to three millimeters in diameter. They most often occur on the inner thighs and ankles. However, they may present themselves on the calves and hamstrings. In contrast to varicose veins, reticular veins typically don’t protrude above the skin’s surface, but they can still cause pain and discomfort.
Other symptoms of reticular veins include telangiectasia, dyschromia, and extensive bruising. If you have been diagnosed with reticular veins, or think you suffer from the condition, please call us at La Reve Skincare & Laser Center in Fort Worth, TX to schedule an initial consultation. We can diagnose you and set you up with a treatment plan.
When You Have Spider Veins
Spider veins are clusters of tiny blood vessels near the surface of the skin. The two primary differences between spider veins and varicose veins are that spider veins are smaller diseased veins and they exist closer to the skin’s surface.
Since the condition only affects small veins very close to the skin’s surface, it most often affects the veins of the nose, fingers, and legs. While this condition is often called telangiectasia, it should not be confused with ataxia-telangiectasia, which is a genetic condition affecting your nervous system, immune system, and skin.
When You Have Varicose Veins
Varicose veins are gnarled, significantly enlarged veins that most often occur on the backs of the legs and the tops of the feet. However, they can occur anywhere you have large veins running through your body. For instance, they may occur in the abdomen, chest, or upper arms. The most common symptoms are bruising, heaviness, itchiness, and swelling.
Varicose veins occur when the valves in the venous walls are faulty. This dysfunction allows blood to pool or flow back down towards your extremities rather than your heart. This pooling leaves to skin discoloration, pain, itching, or uncomfortable swelling. Varicose veins very rarely get better on their own, so timely treatment is necessary.
When You Have Deep Vein Thrombosis
When you suffer from deep vein thrombosis, the time is right for you to consider laser leg vein removal. While some deep vein blood clots can be asymptomatic, others can cause localized pain and tenderness. Deep vein blood clots often arise as a result of varicose veins going untreated for too long.
Even if you aren’t experiencing any symptoms from your deep vein blood clots, they can still cause problems later on. For instance, the blood clot can break off from the venous wall and travel through your circulatory system all the way up to your lung. If a blood clot gets lodged in your lung and doesn’t dislodge, it is known as a pulmonary embolism.
When You Aren’t Healthy Enough for an Invasive Procedure
If you aren’t healthy enough for an invasive vein removal procedure, you may be the perfect candidate for laser vein removal. Because there are no incisions, nearly everyone is a candidate for this treatment.
When You Aren’t Pregnant
You should consider laser vein removal when you are not pregnant. Any number of things can cause varicose veins or spider veins. However, varicose leg veins often occur during pregnancy due to excess pressure caused by a growing abdomen, hormonal imbalances caused by pregnancy, and excess blood and fluid circulating throughout the body.
If you are pregnant and developed varicose leg veins during pregnancy, there’s a good chance that they will disappear once you lose your baby weight. To combat any discomfort you may be experiencing, sleep with your legs elevated above your heart by putting a couple of throw pillows under your calves. You should also drink lots of water and walk regularly.
When You Aren’t Taking Photosensitizing Drugs
Laser vein removal is one of the most popular vein removal treatments because it is so comfortable, affordable, and accessible. Unfortunately, there is no one-size-fits-all solution for any medical condition. Laser vein removal is only right for people who are not taking photosensitizing drugs because of the light emitted by the laser.
When You Don’t Have Herpes or Vitiligo
Laser vein removal is usually right for people who don’t have herpes or vitiligo. Both of these conditions can flare up if you expose your skin to heat, even in short bursts.
When You Aren’t Taking a Blood Thinner or Accutane
Laser vein removal may be right for you if you are not taking a blood thinner or Accutane. If you are taking medication or a nutritional supplement that can thin your blood, please ask your primary care physician if you can safely stop taking your medications or supplements temporarily.
Examples of pharmaceuticals that can thin your blood include NSAIDs, MAOIs, and corticosteroid injections. If you usually take NSAIDs for pain and discomfort, switch to Tylenol. Examples of nutritional supplements that can thin the blood include vitamins E and K, fish oil, garlic, St. John’s Wort, and Ginkgo Biloba.
When You Don’t Have Permanent Makeup or Tattoos in the Treatment Area
While most people don’t have permanent makeup on their legs, many people have tattoos in the same areas that develop varicose veins and spider veins. Laser vein removal may not be ideal for you if you have a tattoo in the affected region as ablative lasers are also used for tattoo and permanent makeup removal.
When You Have Been Diagnosed With Poikiloderma
If you have been diagnosed with poikiloderma, laser leg vein therapy is probably right for you. To determine if you have poikiloderma, or to find out if laser leg vein therapy is the ideal treatment method for you, schedule your initial consultation. We will quickly and accurately diagnose you so you can make the best decision for your unique case.
When You Are Confident You Can Follow Pre-Care and Post-Care Instructions
Laser leg vein therapy is right for people who can follow pre-care and post-care instructions. While there is nothing invasive about this therapy, there are still several things you need to do to ensure the treatment is as effective as possible.
What to Do Before Leg Vein Therapy
Disclose Your Medical History
To determine if laser leg vein therapy is right for you, we need full disclosure regarding your medical history and current health. This includes medications and supplements you have taken in the past as well as those you are currently taking. Moreover, we need to know about such things as allergies, pregnancy, cold sores, and fever blisters.
Avoid Tanning
In the two weeks leading up to your treatment, it is crucial that you avoid self-tanning lotions and tanning beds. You should also avoid sunbathing or going outside during the day without sunscreen on your legs. If you must be outside between the hours of 10 AM and 4 PM, apply a broad-spectrum SPF 30+ sunscreen every four hours. You can be sunburned through your clothes.
Shave
For a more comfortable therapy experience, you should shave your legs on the day of your scheduled treatment. Do not apply lotion to your legs on the day of your therapy.
What to Do After Leg Vein Therapy
Kick Up Your Feet
For the first 48 hours after treatment, do your best to keep your legs elevated above your heart. While you may sleep with your calves under pillows or a rolled-up towel, many of our clients find it easier to just sleep in a recliner for the first two nights. This is completely up to you but, again, we strongly encourage as much elevation as possible.
Wear Prescription-Strength Stockings
For the fastest results, we strongly encourage our clients to wear prescription-strength compression stockings in the 72 hours proceeding their treatment. We will write you a prescription for these stockings before your treatment so you can have them ready to go immediately. They may be removed for bathing, but you should try to sleep in them.
Be Patient
While the 30 minutes of heat from the laser treatment is enough to immediately close off the diseased veins, it can take between three to six weeks to see the final results of treatment. You can expect immediate symptom relief, such as no more pain, discomfort, itching or swelling. However, the veins may still be visible due to residual blood clotting.
Expect a Potential Scab
Many people are concerned when they develop a scab beneath their skin after laser leg vein therapy. This doesn’t always happen, but when it does, it is perfectly normal and is a sign that the therapy worked.
Keep in mind, however, that just because you don’t get a scab doesn’t mean that the therapy didn’t work. When your pain eases immediately after the therapy, you know the treatment worked.
Don’t Soak Up the Sun
In the seven days after your leg vein therapy, you should do your best to avoid excessive heat, including dry saunas, steam rooms, steaming hot showers, tanning beds, tanning booths, and sunbathing. While avoiding heat in Fort Worth sometimes seems impossible, just do your best to stay in a temperature-controlled environment.
Besides protecting yourself from heat, you should also take special care to protect yourself from the sun’s harmful UVA and UVB rays. To do this, minimize your time spent outdoors between the hours of 10 AM and 4 PM. This is when the sun’s rays are at their strongest. Make sure you’re wearing a sunscreen that offers adequate protection for the level of melanin in your skin.
Discover How to Treat Your Diseased Veins Today
If you suffer from deep vein thrombosis, varicose veins or spider veins, there is an excellent chance that you are a good candidate for laser leg vein removal. When left untreated, varicose veins can cause potentially life-threatening medical conditions or develop into chronic venous insufficiency.
To determine definitively if you are a good candidate for laser leg vein treatment, please contact us today at La Reve Skincare & Laser Center in Fort Worth, TX to schedule your initial consultation. If you are a good candidate, we will provide you with comprehensive care instructions. We can’t wait to meet you and help you get your venous health back on track.
