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Spider veins and their treatment with VeinWave Therapy
Information for patients
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What are Spider veins or thread veins?
Some people have small blood vessels in their skin that enlarge. They can occur anywhere on the body but mainly affect the legs and face. They are ‘thread-like’ or have several branches hence the names given to them.
What causes thread veins?
We do not know exactly why some people get thread veins. They often occur in women so they may be related to the hormone oestrogen. In some people they appear at the site of previous operations or insect bites.
What treatments have been used for thread veins?
Established treatments for thread veins involve injections or laser therapy.
Injections (sclerotherapy) can be a very good way of removing large areas of spider veins. Sclerotherapy can cause permanent skin stains, infection and allergic reactions. In addition, you would have to wear bandages or special stockings after the treatment. The results do not always last and injections cannot be used on very small veins or those on the face. Click here to see the results of sclerotherapy.
Laser treatment is expensive and can cause burns. The skin can be permanently bleached and you shouldn’t have the therapy within a few weeks of a suntan as it increases skin damage.
What is Veinwave Treatment?
Veinwave uses a new method called thermo-coagulation. It can be used on any type of skin, without causing bruising and there is no need for bandages.
One treatment session lasts about 15 minutes and can treat up to 30 cm of veins on any part of the body.
There are no major side effects, no allergic reactions and no bruising. It can be used on sensitive areas of the body.
Some trials have shown that 80% of patients prefer veinwave to injections.
How many treatments will I need?
This depends on how many spider veins you have and how easy it is to treat your leg. Each session involves nearly 250 pulses so about 30-50cm of spider veins can be treated. Most people can be treated in 3 to 5 sessions.
Will the Veinwave treatment be permanent?
Spider veins can recur or new areas can be affected so it may be necessary to have several sessions over months or years.
Are there any problems with Veinwave?
In over 800 treatment sessions there have been no reports of complications from Veinwave.
If you are allergic to Nickel then please tell the person giving you the Veinwave treatment.
The main problem appears to be failure of the treatment to remove all spider veins. It is for this reason that repeat treatments may be necessary.
The results are obvious in most patients after 6 weeks but for some people, it can take longer for the treatment to work.
Does veinwave work for all spider veins?
Veinwave is effective on blue veins on the legs and the fine red veins on the face. It does not always work on very fine red veins on the legs that are matted. Mr Braithwaite is happy to try veinwave therapy to reduce the red discoloration but the results are not always as good as those on the larger red veins.
Can I see how it has worked for others?
Mr Braithwaite keeps a photographic record of veinwave treatment and he would be happy to show you the results of treatment.
An example of someone who is having veinwave treatment. At 4 months many of the veins have gone but some treatment is still required:
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Before Veinwave |
4 Months after treatment |
To arrange a Veinwave treatment session click here:
TO FIND A VEIN SPECIALIST NEAR YOU, VISIT VEINSonline.COM