Laser Treatment for Varicose Veins

A Reference laser Opens New Window is a highly focused beam of light. A doctor can use a laser to treat Reference varicose veins Opens New Window. Laser heat damages a vein, which makes scar tissue form. This scar tissue closes the vein. A closed vein loses its source of blood and dies. After a year or two, the vein is likely to disappear.

Simple laser treatment. Simple laser vein treatment is done on the outside of your skin. It can treat Reference spider veins Opens New Window and tiny varicose veins just under the skin's surface. Usually, more than one laser session is needed. They are scheduled every 6 to 12 weeks, as prescribed by your doctor. (If you have poor blood circulation feeding these tiny veins, the larger "feeder" vein must first be treated with surgery, endovenous laser or Reference radiofrequency treatment, or Reference sclerotherapy Opens New Window.)

Endovenous laser treatment. Endovenous laser treatment can treat larger varicose veins in the legs. A laser fiber is passed through a thin tube (catheter) into the vein. While doing this, the doctor watches the vein on a Reference duplex ultrasound Opens New Window screen. Laser is less painful than vein ligation and stripping, and it has a shorter recovery time. Only Reference local anesthesia Opens New Window or a light Reference sedative Opens New Window is needed for laser treatment. (For ligation and stripping, Reference general anesthesia Opens New Window is used to put you to sleep.)

You will be able to walk following the treatment, and recovery typically is short. You are likely to be able to return to your normal daily routine after simple laser treatment.

After endovenous laser treatment, you will wear compression stockings for 1 week or more. To follow up, your doctor will use duplex ultrasound to make sure that the vein is closed.^{Reference 1}

Simple laser treatment is done for small spider veins and tiny varicose veins. This is sometimes a second treatment step, after a larger varicose vein has been treated with surgery, endovenous laser or radiofrequency treatment, or sclerotherapy.

Endovenous laser treatment is used to close off a larger varicose vein, instead of using surgery to remove it.

Simple laser treatment. Over the past twenty years, this type of laser treatment has become quite safe and effective.

Endovenous laser treatment. Endovenous laser treatment closes veins about 94 out of 100 times. It doesn't work about 6 out of 100 times.^{Reference 2}

If endovenous laser treatment does not close a vein, you will need a second treatment. Depending on what is available in your area, you may have choices between another laser treatment, radiofrequency treatment, or sclerotherapy. In some cases, vein surgery is recommended.

For the best chance of success, be sure to have a doctor with a lot of endovenous laser experience.

Side effects of laser treatment include:

• Skin burns.
• Skin coloring changes.
• Feelings of burning, pain, or prickling after recovery, from nerve damage (less likely than after vein stripping surgery).
• Small or large blood clotting in the vein or a deep vein (less likely than after vein stripping surgery).

The more experience your doctor has had with laser, the less risk you are likely to have. Talk to your doctor about how often these side effects happen in his or her practice.

For help deciding whether to have a procedure for varicose veins, see:

Opens New Window Varicose Veins: Should I Have a Surgical Procedure? Opens New Window

If you are thinking of laser treatment, consider some Reference questions to ask about varicose vein treatment. These questions include: How much experience does the doctor have with the particular treatment? How much do the exam and treatment cost? How many treatments does the doctor think you will need?

Complete the special treatment information form (PDF) (What is a Reference PDF Opens New Window document?) to help you understand this treatment.

Citations

1. Khilnani NM, et al. (2010). Multi-society consensus quality improvement guidelines for the treatment of lower extremity superficial venous insufficiency with endovenous thermal ablation from the Society of Interventional Radiology, Cardiovascular Interventional Radiological Society of Europe, American College of Phlebology, and Canadian Interventional Radiology Association. Journal of Vascular and Interventional Radiology, 21(1): 14–31.

2. Van den Bos R, et al. (2009). Endovenous therapies of lower extremity varicosities: A meta-analysis. Journal of Vascular Surgery, 49(1): 230–239.

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