Intense Pulse Light Therapy and Treating Spider Veins

Spider veins may be a concern of many individuals in Suffolk, Virginia and in other parts of the country due to the unsightly appearances of the veins. They may not cause pain and heaviness in the legs the way varicose veins do and they may not bulge from the skin like varicose veins, but spider veins may be very unsightly in their appearance and may lead to embarrassment and self-consciousness for some patients. Intense pulse light therapies are available, however, to treat this condition and get rid of these problem veins safely and effectively.

Intense pulse light therapy, or IPL for short, works by applied intense, pulsed light to the treatment area. This selectively damages and destroys the problem veins such as small spider veins or small vascular birthmarks. This procedure may be more suited to treat vascular lesions that are slightly deeper in the skin than laser procedures. What's more, intense pulse light therapy may be used if sclerotherapy or laser treatment is not effective in treating superficial veins. To reach optimal results with intense pulse light therapy, two to four treatment sessions may be required, although this depends on the size of the lesions being treated.

In fact, several conditions may be treated by intense pulse light therapy in addition to spider veins. These include broken or dilated vessels, skin imperfections like age spots or sun damage, birth marks, acne rosacea, cherry hemangiomas, freckles or reticular veins. The treatment may also be used on various parts of the body like the face, arms, legs, back, thigh, abdomen and ankles. Before undergoing treatment, patients should speak with a Suffolk vein specialist to help determine if they are a candidate for this treatment.

Candidates should be in good overall health and should be mentally and psychologically stable. The best candidates are those with fair skin who do not smoke and is realistic about the procedure and expectations for results. Patients should not have any disease of the blood vessels or problems with bleeding. Those taking or have recently used Acutane are not considered candidates for IPL. Others not considered candidates for this treatment include those with keloid scarring, severe or unusual scar formations, pregnant women, those who have recently gone tanning or have a sun burn, those with acute onset acne, those with very dark skin, individuals taking blood thinners and those who have skin resurfacing disorders.

The procedure works by generating light to pierce the skin and penetrate the superficial blood vessels. This heat from the light will coagulate the blood that is inside of the vessel, which leads it to collapse and seal shut. Over the course of the next few weeks, the vessel will go away and the blood will be taken away through the body's natural processes. Newer treatment options allow precise dosages of energy to each blood vessel without causing injury to other structures in the skin.

Learn more about intense pulse light therapy in Suffolk, Virginia.