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Spider veins, also known as telangiectasias, are small, thin blood vessels visible beneath the skin. They appear most commonly on the face and legs, and may look like a series of lines, tree branches or spider webs. Spider veins are caused by a variety of factors, including heredity, pregnancy and weight gain, and are estimated to affect nearly half of all adult women in the US. Some people experience painful symptoms such as aching, burning, swelling and cramping from spider veins, while others are bothered by their appearance.
There are several different types of treatment available for spider veins, including radio frequency and laser ablation. Both of these are FDA approved and are the newest vein treatments that eliminate the need for surgery. Veins just under the surface of the skin can be treated with a simpler laser procedure over the course of several treatment sessions.
Dr. Gitter will decide which procedure is best for you after performing a physical examination, an ultrasound and reviewing your medical history and general health.
Sclerotherapy is a medical procedure used to treat varicose and spider veins. Injecting a sclerosant solution into the damaged veins causes irritation and the eventual collapse of the affected veins. Sclerotherapy has been used throughout the world since the 1930s and remains the primary effective treatment for varicose and spider veins.
Sclerotherapy is performed with the aid of ultrasound imaging to ensure precise results that relieve the painful symptoms and the unsightly appearance of varicose and spider veins. The affected veins are injected with a sclerosant solution, which causes the veins to eventually collapse and become absorbed into the bloodstream. This safe procedure can be performed in your doctor’s office and takes less than an hour.
After sclerotherapy, most patients can immediately return work and other daily activities the very same day. Exercise and other strenuous activities, however, should be avoided the day of the procedure. Compression stockings may need to be worn for a few days after the procedure, and some patients may experience mild bruising and pigmentation following sclerotherapy; these side effects usually subside within a few days.
The results of sclerotherapy are usually fully visible after 3 to 6 weeks. To preserve the results of sclerotherapy, patients should maintain an active, healthy life after the procedure.
The VeinGogh system is an FDA approved advanced treatment for spider veins and telangiectasias. The newer technology employed by VeinGogh results in a thorough, effective removal of the visible spider vein safely and more comfortably than with older methods. In fact, it is so pain-free that no anesthesia is typically necessary. Most patients only feel a slight pinch when the probe is inserted into the vein. It also can precisely target the venous tissue without affecting or harming surrounding tissue at all.
The results are achieved through the use of Ohmic Thermolysis. This process focuses on the damaged blood vessels and uses high-frequency energy pulses to heat them, which causes the walls of the blood vessel to collapse. It efficiently obliterates the spider vein—clearing out the blood vessels that still remain within the body when using other treatments—while leaving the nearby skin unchanged.
A treatment with VeinGogh requires minimal downtime. Most patients can resume their normal activities the same day as the procedure. There may be mild redness at the treatment site for two to three hours afterward. While some noticeable results are typically visible immediately following the treatment, the area will gradually continue to improve over the next several weeks. A conspicuous difference, with most spider veins disappearing completely, usually takes place within six to 12 weeks after treatment with VeinGogh.
Contact our New Orleans Office:
One Galleria Boulevard
Suite 100
Metairie, Louisiana, 70001
Hours:
Mon – Thurs, 7:30AM – 5:00PM
Friday, 7:30AM – 12:00PM
Closed Daily for Lunch 12:00PM – 1:00PM
Contact our Baton Rouge Office:
10101 Siegen Ln
#3B
Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70810
Hours:
Mon – Thurs, 7:30AM – 5:00PM
Friday, 7:30AM – 12:00PM
Closed Daily for Lunch 12:00PM – 1:00PM
Gitter Vein Institute invites you to experience a new type of medical environment. We commit our focus and expertise to earn your confidence and trust.