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What You Should Know About Laser Vein Treatments

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If you have spider veins and varicose veins, you might be embarrassed by the way your legs look. This may cause you to avoid wearing shorts or a bathing suit. If that's the case, you should consider having a laser vein treatment. Your doctor can use a laser to get rid of tiny spider veins near the surface of your skin as well as bigger veins that run deeper. Here's what you need to know.

Laser Treatment For Spider Veins

Since spider veins are so close to the surface of your skin, the doctor can treat them by passing the laser over your leg. There is no need to make an incision because the laser is able to zap the veins right through your skin. You may feel a stinging sensation as the laser pulses on and off.

Your leg may be sore and red right after the treatment, but you'll be able to walk out of the doctor's office. A bruise will develop, and you'll have to wait until it clears before you know if the treatment was successful. You may need a series of treatments to get rid of spider veins completely.

Endovenous Laser Treatment

If you have deep varicose veins, your doctor will use an endovenous laser instead. For this procedure, the doctor makes an incision in your leg and inserts a small laser wand though it and into your vein. The laser light damages the vein and causes it to clot off. It takes time to see results from this therapy because your body has to absorb the destroyed vein over a period of several weeks.

The endovenous laser treatment is done in your doctor's office with a local anesthetic. You'll probably need to wear compression stockings and limit your activities until your leg heals. If you have varicose veins of different sizes, your doctor may use an endovenous laser along with the topical laser treatment to effectively get rid of all them.

Paying For Laser Vein Treatment

If you want your varicose and spider veins removed for cosmetic reasons, you'll have to pay for your treatments yourself. Prices range from a few hundred dollars up to $1000 depending on how many veins you have treated. Keep in mind, you may need multiple treatments, which makes the final cost higher.

If your varicose veins bother you with symptoms such as itching, leg swelling, leg cramps, and pain, then the treatment might be considered medically necessary. In that case, your insurance may help cover the cost. Be sure to talk to your insurance agent first to find out the required documentation you'll need to prove your varicose veins are causing medical complications.

In most cases, varicose veins are not cause for concern, but they are cause for embarrassment if you are self-conscious about the way they make you look. Even if you have to pay out of pocket, it's worth the expense to help you feel better about your appearance. Contact a company like Elite Vein Centers for more information.


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