If you hide your legs, you might have some unsightly leg veins in your life. Spider veins and varicose veins can really get under your skin. These veins can be more than unsightly, though. They can cause pain. Thankfully, you don’t have to live with those unsightly and sometimes painful veins. Imad El Asmar, MD, at Vermont Med Spa can get rid of the veins with intense pulsed light (IPL) technology. Read on to see what causes these veins and how they can be treated.

The causes of leg veins

Veins are a part of your circulatory system. They bring your blood back to your heart. As your heart beats, it pulls the blood up the veins in your legs a little bit with each pulse. Tiny valves inside your veins keep the blood from going backward — at least that’s what they’re supposed to do.

Sometimes, these valves can get damaged. When they get damaged, they can allow blood to flow backward. This puts pressure on the inside walls of the veins, stretching them and pushing them closer to the skin.

Risk factors for developing leg veins

If you have family members who suffer from spider veins or varicose veins, you are at risk of getting them as well. In addition, what you do can affect your leg veins. If you spend a lot of time standing in one position, your blood will tend to pool in your legs and cause vein damage. But if you sit all day, you’re not off the hook either. Office chairs are notorious for pushing blood back into your lower legs, causing pooling.

Hormonal changes, such as those that occur during pregnancy and menopause, can also cause vein changes. Furthermore, aging can reduce the amount of collagen in your skin and allow deeper spider veins to suddenly become visible. Finally, if you spent a large part of your life exposing you legs to the sun, you have an increased risk of developing spider veins and varicose veins.

How IPL technology can banish leg veins

Intense pulsed light technology is a popular treatment option for getting rid of varicose veins and spider veins. The treatment involves targeting a low intensity laser beam directly onto your unsightly veins. The laser heats up the walls of a vein, causing the sides to stick together. This treatment destroys the vein, and it is naturally eliminated from your body. Some veins may disappear immediately, and others may take some time to go away. Furthermore, some veins may need a couple of treatments to get rid of them.

Another benefit of IPL technology is how it affects the collagen layer of your skin. As the laser passes through the collagen layer, it stimulates the cells. This forces them to reproduce, giving your skin a firmer appearance. In addition, the thicker skin will help hide deeper spider veins to give your legs a sleeker, smoother appearance.

What to expect during IPL treatment

Before you have any treatment, you will have an initial appointment with Dr. El Asmar. Together, you will choose the area or areas that need to be treated. On the day of your procedure, you will sit back, or lie down, depending on the area being treated. Dr. El Asmar will move the IPL wand over the affected area. It will feel warm to the touch during treatment, but as soon as the wand moves to another area, your skin will cool. After treatment, you will be able to leave the office and resume your normal activities.

To find out if an IPL treatment can get rid of your spider veins or varicose veins, book an appointment online or over the phone with Vermont Med Spa today.