Click here to see some before and after pictures of patients with spider veins.

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.

Leg telangiectasias are not varicose or deep veins but superfcial veins that have become permanently dilated. One treatment is electrodessication, which involves zapping the vein shut with electric current, but it can leave pitted white scarring. Another common treatment is sclerotherapy, which involves injecting a solution into the vein to make it collapse, but treatment is not always successful.

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.

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 specifc 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 telangiectasia is reabsorbed by the body.

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.

Laser treatments for leg telangiectasias depend on the quantity, size, and depth of the veins. Sessions are usually spaced 8-12 weeks apart and are performed in the doctor's offce without the costs and risks of hospitalization or general anesthesia.

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

Before	After
Before	After

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, or tenderness, all of which disappear in a short time. Your physician will be happy to tell you more about your treatment and what you can expect.

Ask us about the VersaPulse laser and how your physician can use it to treat your leg telangiectasias.

VersaPulse Aesthetic Laser - the world's most advanced and versatile laser for tattoos and a wide range of pigmented and vascular lesions. A state-of-the-art laser with multiple capabilities - giving your physician the power and flexibility to select the best treatment option for you.