Spider Vein Treatment - Spider Vein Removal - SclerotherapySpider Vein Treatment, Sclerotherapy - Jeffrey H. Binstock, M.D. practices laser spider vein removal in the San Francisco, California area.

SAN FRANCISCO		MILL VALLEY
22 Battery Street, Suite 905 San Francisco, CA 94111 415.956.8686		535 Miller Avenue Mill Valley, CA 94941 415.383.5475

Laser Treatment of Spider Leg Veins

A little beam of light can make all the difference . . .

Spider veins are wavy, thin, reddish-purple veins that are visible on the legs. Often they are clustered on the thigh or below the knee.

Spider veins, or telangiectasias, affect as many as 80% of all women as they grow older, and a large percentage of men too. The cause is largely genetic, although other culprits include pregnancy, childbirth, use of birth-control pills, estrogen-replacement therapy, previous injury, and use of corticosteroids.

Telangiectasias are not usually a medical problem, but they may make you reluctant to wear a bathing suit or a pair of shorts.

In the past, there was little you could do about spider veins. But now laser technology has revolutionized treatment so that many spider veins can be virtually erased.

Understanding leg telangiectasias
Leg telangiectasias are not varicose or larger deeper veins but small superficial surface veins that have become permanently dilated. Older treatments include electrodessication, which involves zapping the vein shut with electric current, but it can leave pitted and white scarring. Another common treatment is sclerotherapy, which involves injecting a solution into the vein to make it collapse, but this treatment is not always successful for very small veins.

Now there's the new VersaPulse® Aesthetic Laser; a state-of-the-art system that has been specially designed to treat spider veins and other vascular lesions.

Understanding laser treatment
A laser produces a beam of highly concentrated light. Different types of lasers produce different colors of light. The color of light produced by a particular laser is the key to the laser's effect on telangiectasias.

Different colors of light are absorbed by specific colors or pigments in the skin; for example, hemoglobin, found in blood, absorbs yellow-green light. The laser's light energy seals the vein shut, and the now-diminished telangiectasias is reabsorbed by the body.

The VersaPulse® advantage
The VersaPulse® Aesthetic Laser produces short, adjustable pulses of light to treat a wide range of vessel diameters at various skin depths. The adjustable pulses minimize the risk of the purplish bruising (purpura) that is a side effect of other lasers.

The special VersaSpot Chilled Tip™ cools the skin during treatment, enhancing patient comfort. The entire treatment involves no incisions or injections.

What you can expect
Laser treatments for leg telangiectasias depend on the quantity, size, and depth of the veins. Most patients need between one and three 10-minute sessions. Sessions are usually spaced 4-6 weeks apart and are performed in Dr. Binstock's office without the costs and risks of hospitalization or general anesthesia.

The laser treatment itself feels like numerous small snaps with a rubberband. Most patients do not require anesthesia during the procedure. Topical or local anesthesia is provided for those who do.

The appearance of the treated area immediately after a laser session will vary from patient to patient depending on the extent of treatment. Immediate after-effects, if any, are minor. They may include redness, light crusting, tenderness, and rarely blistering, all of which heal in a short time. Dr. Binstock will be happy to tell you more about your treatment, its side effects, and what you can expect.

We're here to help
Ask us about the VersaPulse® laser and how Dr. Binstock can use it to treat your leg telangiectasias.

** Benefits depicted are actual and not retouched.
Patient results may vary. Each set of photos reflects the benefit realized by the person in that set of photos, and not necessarily the viewers final results.

Jeffrey H. Binstock, M.D.
SAN FRANCISCO	MILL VALLEY
415.956.8686	415.383.5475

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