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Laser Treatment for Spider Veins

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Handbook of Lasers in Dermatology

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Abstract

Increased venous pressure causes dilation of normal leg veins creating varicose or spider veins. This can be a consequence of loss of smooth muscle tone causing valvular insufficiency or more rarely deep vein thrombosis. The treatment of choice for eliminating spider veins of the leg is sclerotherapy, although the use of laser technology as a safe and relatively painless alternative has been long anticipated. We will discuss in this chapter some lasers and light therapies that have been used, including the argon, copper bromide, Nd:YAG, diode, long-pulse infrared Alexandrite and pulsed dye lasers, as well as the intense pulsed light. These are indicated for vessels of different sizes and depths and have different clearance rates. Unfortunately, laser therapy has not been found to be as effective, but it can be used as a supplementary form of therapy. Development of new technologies or the significant improvement of present technologies, as well as adjuvant therapies should be further explored.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Dermatology and Cutaneous Surgery, University of Miami—Miller School of Medicine, 1475 NW 12th Avenue, Suite 2175, Miami, FL, 33136, USA

    Leyre A. Falto-Aizpurua MD & Harleen Arora

  2. Department of Dermatology, University of Maryland, 54 Scott Adam Road, Hunt Valley (Baltimore), MD, 21030, USA

    Robert A. Weiss MD, FAAD, FACPh

  3. American Society for Laser Medicine and Surgery, Laser Skin and Vein Institute, 54 Scott Adam Road, Hunt Valley (Baltimore), MD, 21030, USA

    Robert A. Weiss MD, FAAD, FACPh

Authors
  1. Leyre A. Falto-Aizpurua MD
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  2. Harleen Arora
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  3. Robert A. Weiss MD, FAAD, FACPh
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Robert A. Weiss MD, FAAD, FACPh .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Miami, Florida, USA

    Keyvan Nouri

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Falto-Aizpurua, L.A., Arora, H., Weiss, R.A. (2014). Laser Treatment for Spider Veins. In: Nouri, K. (eds) Handbook of Lasers in Dermatology. Springer, London. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4471-5322-1_7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4471-5322-1_7

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  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4471-5321-4

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4471-5322-1

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