You may be seeking treatment for vein disease, and there are so many options out there that it can be hard to decide what is best for you. When entrusting someone with your health, it is critical to consider who will be treating you and what they will do. Click HERE to book an appointment to seek treatment with a vein doctor at our vein clinic in NYC, or keep reading to learn about the two types of laser vein removal, as well as treatment options that may be better!
What is laser vein removal?
There are two types of vein treatments that involve laser therapy: Blue Light Therapy and Endоvеnоuѕ Laser Ablation. These treatments are both not very highly recommended by vein doctors, so we will discuss the pros and cons of these laser vein treatment options, as well as provide alternatives that are safer and more efficient.
Minimally Invasive Treatment
Surgical procedures were once the only way to treat spider and varicose veins, but developments in biomedical research have made it possible to treat varicose and spider veins with less intrusive approaches. Instead of a lengthy operation followed by an even longer hospital stay, minimally invasive treatments take around an hour and only require a tiny incision. Minimally invasive therapies are less risky, take less time to conduct, and require less time to recover after leaving the hospital.
Laser vein treatments are considered to be minimally-invasive treatments, but there are still quite a few drawbacks associated with them. There are several other minimally invasive treatment methods available that vein doctors would recommend over laser vein removal, so when you schedule a visit at a vein treatment clinic, the vein specialist will assess you and recommend the best treatment option for you.
What is Blue Light Therapy?
Blue Light Therapy (also known as Laser Therapy) is a treatment method that uses blue light or laser to treat spider veins. The laser emits photons that generate heat, and over time, the heat can destroy the damaged blood vessels. As a result, the damaged vein shrinks and eventually disintegrates.
The only time that blue light therapy for spider veins has an advantage over sclerotherapy is
when it comes to the foot or face. The drawbacks strongly outweigh the benefits, as it is a very long process that involves multiple treatment sessions, which usually ranges from $300 to $600 per session. The overall cost can potentially be in the thousands of dollars, depending on the severity, and is not usually covered by medical insurance.
What are better alternatives to Blue Light Therapy?
Medical spas frequently recommend blue light or laser therapy because it legally does not have to be administered by a trained vein doctor. It can take weeks or months before you even start seeing any differences with Blue Light Therapy for spider veins, but if you want immediate results, Sclerotherapy at a vein treatment center is your best bet.
During a sclerotherapy procedure, a vein doctor uses tiny needles to inject a medicine, called a sclerosant, into damaged veins. This medication irritates the vein wall linings, causing them to stick together and seal off the vein, allowing blood to be rerouted to healthier veins. Because of a lack of blood flow, the parts of the vein injected with medicine will shrink over time, reducing the appearance of spider veins. There is no recovery time, and the treatment produces results in less than a month.
What is Endоvеnоuѕ Laser Ablation?
Endovеnоus Laser Ablаtоn (EVLT) is an in-office procedure done under local anesthesia. A local anesthetic is injected around the damaged vein before the endovenous laser is placed in the vein under ultrasound guidance. Laser energy is delivered to the vein’s walls and an inflammatory response occurs, causing the vein to seal shut. The vein is reabsorbed by the body over time.
When the EVLT procedure is finished, the blood is rerouted to healthy veins. The leg is wrapped in an ace bandage for two days (48 hours) and a compression stocking is worn for seven days.
Following treatment, circulation in the leg improves rapidly. This procedure doesn’t leave scars, only takes one hour, and the patient can resume normal daily activities immediately afterwards. However, it results in pain and discomfort for a few days after the treatment, which means no heavy exercises or activities for a week afterwards. The cost of Endоvеnоuѕ Laser Ablation can range from $2,000 to $7,000. In some cases, it can be covered by medical insurance.
What are better alternatives to Endоvеnоuѕ Laser Ablation?
Because of the pain and discomfort associated with endovenous laser ablation, vein doctors would recommend seeking Radiofrequency Ablation or Venaseal instead.
Radiofrequency ablation involves a local anesthetic administered before inserting a small catheter into the unhealthy vein using ultrasound imaging. The catheter uses thermal energy to close the damaged vein’s walls, redirecting blood flow through healthy veins.
VenaSeal is a new FDA-approved vein adhesive that is used to close the saphenous vein in the leg, which is the source of varicose veins. The VenaSeal glue immediately seals off the diseased vein, and this seal will eventually block blood flow through that vein and reroute it through the healthy veins in your legs.
These treatments take less than a half-hour and are relatively painless. Because there is no anesthesia or recovery time required, you can go home or back to work immediately following the vein treatment clinic procedure.
It’s important to find a vein doctor who is trained in minimally invasive procedures so that you can be sure that you are receiving the highest standard of vein care.Our vein center in NYC is accessible by both Grand Central Station and Penn Station and is close to major landmarks such as the Empire State Building. The Vein Treatment Clinic New York has physicians who are passionate about your well-being and who can consult with you to help you heal. If you are ready to finally get treatment for your vein disease, check out the Vein Treatment Clinic for vein treatment today!