When patients come into the office, one of the biggest fears going into treatment is often times the thought of having a laser vein treatment. The majority of people are probably imagining those laser pistols used in Star Wars or Star Trek being fired at them. That is fantasy. In reality Laser vein treatments have been around since 2001 and has since become the gold standard in the treatment of some vein issues. In fact, laser vein treatments have effectively replaced the larger scale stripping procedures of the past. Yes, those same stripping procedures many of our parents and grandparents had done to their veins many years ago. Trust me, vein care has come a long way since then. In fact contrary to popular belief, state of the art vein care does not even require the use of a scalpel. Vein care is now a world of lasers, ultrasound guidance and injections. A far cry from the vein care of our parents and grandparents.
If you are in need of vein care but have intentionally avoided it because of the horror stories your friends or family have told you, fear no more. At our state-of-the-art vein clinic, our staff of dedicated vein specialists can provide you with the vein treatments you have always wanted and deserve. Varicose and spider veins are not only a source of discomfort, they can also be an ever present source of embarrassment for patients. Do you find yourself avoiding situations that require that you show off your legs? Do you find yourself only wearing pants or dresses so that you can hide your unsightly legs? Don’t live your life that way. Life is just too short for that. Regain your confidence by getting your youthful legs back. Contact STL Vein and Cosmetics and get started down the road to a new you. Get started with our vein treatment program today!
One of the first questions that many of our patients ask is about laser vein treatments. What many people do not understand is that there are two forms of laser vein treatments. One is a topical laser vein treatment and the second is an internal laser treatment. The topical laser treatment is a procedure performed by many medical spas and is marketed as a treatment option to help remove spider veins. In reality, topical laser treatments are better suited in the treatment of dermatologic conditions like Rosasea, caused by ultrafine capillaries on the skin. The accepted standard of care in the vein treatment world is a procedure called visual sclerotherapy, which involves the injection of a liquid or foam sclerosant directly into the spider veins that you want to get eliminate. Topical laser vein treatment, in contrast, is more effective as a cleanup tool after sclerotherapy and not as a primary treatment for spider veins.
The second type of laser treatment is an internal laser treatment often referred to as EVLT( Endovenous laser therapy). This procedure is the gold standard in the treatment of Great and Small saphenous vein reflux. Again, this is the procedure that has replace the old stripping procedure. This procedure involves that insertion of a small laser fiber thru a small needle directly into the defective vein. Once inside the vein, the leg is numbed prior to the laser being fired and slowing withdrawn from the leg. The laser essentially cauterizes the vein from the inside out. In most cases, the patient only experiences mild discomfort during and after the procedure as they heal.
EVLT has allowed physicians to treat internal vein issues without ever cutting on the leg itself. In the past, stripping procedures were performed in order to address saphenous vein reflux. This required the physician to make small incisions along the span of the vein and actually pull the vein out of the leg thru these small incisions. This in turn left small scars at the site of the incisions. EVLT has made stripping procedures of this nature a thing of the past.
Although the idea of vein treatment is far from being desireable, there are definitely benefits to choosing this less invasive form of treatment over the more invasive stripping procedure. Since EVLT is minimally invasive, patients are able to return to normal activities almost immediately after completion of the procedure. In contrast, patients who have undergone the more invasive stripping procedures, require some down time to allow proper healing of the incision sites. Furthermore, the lack of incisions required in the EVLT procedure results in little to no scar risk. As a result, no one will ever know that you ever had the procedure performed other than the fact that your legs will look much better after the completion of your total vein care.
There is little to no preparation required prior to EVLT. Upon arrival the day of the procedure, you will change to shorts prior to having your treatment leg being cleaned and prepared for treatment. You are able to eat and take your medications as usual on the day of the procedure.
Once you arrive for your treatment, you will be given a pair of disposable shorts to wear so as to not dirty your own clothes. You will be taken to the procedure room where an ultrasound technologist will use a marker to mark your leg in preparation for the EVLT. You will then lay down on a treatment bed, be given a pair of protective goggles and then have your leg sterilized and cleaned. During the procedure, the doctor will insert a small needle directly into the vein with the help of an ultrasound. A small laser fiber will then be inserted into the damaged vein thru this needle. The physician will then take some time to numb the vein so as to make the remainder of the procedure relatively pain free. The laser will then be fired as the laser fiber is gradually withdrawn, causing the vein to close down. The procedure as a whole will take anywhere between 30 to 60 minutes per leg. Once completed, you will hop off the table and walk back to your room to change to go home.
It’s common to have questions about your vein treatment, and at STL Vein and Cosmetics, Our staff is more than happy to answer your questions and put your mind at ease. If you have any other questions about EVLT or other vein treatment options we offer, please do not hesitate to call and schedule a free consult with one of our dedicated staff at 314.842.1441. Don’t wait any longer. Take care of your legs now so that they can take care of you in the future.
