A splash of freckles here and a small mole there might be endearing to some, but facial veins? Not so much.
Thankfully, whether you’ve noticed a couple of inflamed-looking squiggles or an entire splotch of unsightly veins, this particular problem can now be addressed by a wide range of gentle, effective treatments.
But not all facial vein treatments are created equal, and even more so, not all providers.
Consider this your all-in-one guide to the best facial vein treatment options out there, including what makes Beach Cities Vein & Laser Center in the LA area the best provider for these treatments.
VeinGogh
Ideal even for stubborn spider veins that have not responded well to other treatments (such as those listed below), VeinGogh brings the spirit of its famed namesake to life by delivering beautiful, precise results.
The basic concept involves applying pulses of heat directly to the vein, which causes it to close tightly, drastically reducing that bold and distended appearance.
While VeinGogh is technically invasive because it uses a very small needle to apply the heat to each vein, the associated downtime, pain, and anesthesia requirement (i.e., none) is consistent with that of most injections.
In other words, you can immediately resume your normal schedule after VeinGogh treatment, and post-treatment discomfort is very minimal.
Lasers
That’s right, lasers aren’t just used for hair removal anymore. In fact, this highly versatile form of energy has been integrated into many cosmetic and non-cosmetic procedures, including facial vein treatment.
During laser treatment for facial veins, light energy will precisely target problem veins, emitting powerful, but gentle energy that kills the damaged portion of the vein. The vein will shrink down, eventually dissolving.
Lasers can be used for veins in other locations, but are a highly popular choice for their effectiveness at dramatically (and often completely) reducing the appearance of facial spider veins. Multiple treatments are often recommended, and results sometimes take one or multiple weeks to appear.
While this procedure is completely non-invasive and generally well-tolerated, you may experience mild to moderate swelling, scarring, pain, and similar symptoms.
Generally, minimizing exposure to sunlight and/or tanning beds is ideal prior to laser treatment for facial veins. Downtime is usually very minimal; you normally should be able to return to work immediately.
Consulting with our physician-led team at Beach Cities Vein & Laser Center will allow you to answer any other questions you may have.
Sclerotherapy
The prefix “sclero-” means “hard” in Greek, which gives a subtle hint about how sclerotherapy works.
In this procedure, facial spider veins are injected with a special compound that essentially damages and kills them. Soon after the compound is injected, the targeted veins react by becoming inflamed and irritated, eventually collapsing in on themselves and dying.
Like laser treatment for facial veins, veins treated by sclerotherapy will dissolve over time.
While on the small scale, this is in fact “traumatic” for the spider vein, the treatment is very well-tolerated by patients, requiring very little downtime and usually no anesthesia.
Sclerotherapy is used on the face as well as the legs, torso, and hands, and can significantly or completely minimize the appearance of spider veins in these areas.
Intense Pulsed Light (IPL) Photofacial Treatment
“IPL photo-what now?”
It’s a bit of a mouthful, but IPL photofacials are gaining traction for good reason. First of all, this completely non-invasive treatment can be fully tailored to target different problems in different areas, facial veins included.
Here’s how it works: IPL photofacial treatment applies broadband light to the skin, selectively targeting tissues according to set parameters (namely, wavelength). This intense energy is given off throughout the targeted tissue as heat, killing only the tissues that absorb it.
In the case of facial spider veins, photofacial treatment will target the red pigments associated with damaged blood vessels, effectively collapsing the vein and allowing it to be reabsorbed soon after.
IPL photofacial treatments may take several weeks to reap the full effect aesthetically speaking.
This non-invasive treatment generally requires no downtime, and is among the more well-tolerated procedures of its kind.
How to Choose the Best Treatment for You
It’s important to emphasize the “for you” component to this important decision because no single facial vein treatment is universally superior to the others. Everyone is different, both in how the issue presents and their preferences.
Keeping that in mind, here are three key steps you can take to identify which treatment option is best for you:
- Consider your comfort: Are you the kind of person who doesn’t really mind needles, or do you stay away from them at all costs? Have you had laser or other pulsed light treatments in the past, and if so, how did your body respond to them?
- Prioritize by number of treatments required: Is your schedule flexible enough to allow for as many as 3-4 applications of any given treatment, if required? Or do you need a “one-and-done” solution to facial veins?
- Carefully vet your provider: It’s crucial that you only receive facial vein treatments from a reputable and well-credentialed provider.
Professional Facial Vein Treatment In the Los Angeles Area
Whether you’ve narrowed down a single treatment or not, our board-certified radiologist and phlebologist, Dr. Rayman, along with the entire Beach Cities Vein & Laser Center team are here to guide you through the process and answer any questions you may have.
From the first point of contact to the last treatment, your needs and preferences are our focus; schedule a consultation and commit to a confidence-boosting life change today!