Dr. Vafa successfully removes a wide range of unsightly vascular lesions, from fine facial veins, spider veins and vascular birth marks to larger leg veins. Our treatments are non-invasive, fast, safe and effective. Patients can resume normal activities within minutes of treatment. Typically 3 - 5 treatments are required to achieve optimal results. All parts of the body can be treated with the Cutera XEO CoolGlide™ laser. StudioMD offers one of the most effective laser vein removal options in NYC.*

Typically, one or three treatments are needed for significant improvement of spider veins. Treatment can be done every 6 weeks on the face, and every 2-3 months on the legs. Cherry hemangiomas (red dots on the body) usually only require one or two treatments.*

The unique design of the CoolGlide™ laser, and the long wavelength, allows treatment of people with all skin colors. A smaller number of treatments are needed when the skin is light colored. We do not treat patients with a fresh suntan.

1. Please try to minimize tanning and self-tanning creams for a week or two before treatment. A fresh tan can interfere a bit with the effectiveness of the CoolGlide Laser treatment, though this is less of a problem than with older, short wavelength lasers.
2. Please do not wear makeup on the areas to be treated. Makeup absorbs laser energy, and less energy will reach your unwanted blood vessels. Blistering may also occur.
3. Please shave the areas to be treated the day before treatment or on the morning of treatment. Excess hair above the surface of the skin absorbs and wastes laser energy, and reduces the amount of energy that reaches the unwanted blood vessels where it is really needed. Excess hair above the surface of the skin also increases the chance of burning or irritating the skin.
4. Some people find it helpful to take 2-3 Advil, (200mg. tablets), 2 hours before coming in for treatment.

Since the laser does not burn or cut the skin in any way, no bandages are necessary. You can return to work the same day and resume all your regular activities. To reduce the chance of uneven tanning in the treated area, you should minimize sun exposure and tanning for a week or two after treatments.

1. Redness often has faded within a day or two. It would not be uncommon for the skin to be slightly drier that evening and to require more of your favorite moisturizer. The treated spider veins may appear slightly more obvious for the next week or two, but this is seldom a cosmetic problem.
2. Try to avoid tanning for two weeks after treatment, because occasionally the tan could be somewhat irregular (lighter and/or darker in the treated areas.) If you plan to be exposed to sun use SPF25 or higher sun block.
3. You do not need to purchase support stockings or special creams, and there is no special routine for you to follow.
4. Blistering or scaling after Cutera CoolGlide™ laser removal of blood vessels is very rare, but usually resolve over a few days or a week with a bit of Polysporin several times a day. Please call us if this happens, or if you have any other problems or questions.

What will happen after treatment of spider veins with laser*?

Redness often has faded greatly by the next day. It would not be uncommon for the skin to be slightly drier that evening and to require more moisturizing cream.
The treated veins, in particular on the legs, may appear slightly more obvious or a bit darker for the next week or two, but this is seldom a major cosmetic problem. Occasionally on the legs, less frequently on the face, there can be isolated superficial bruising which generally is a nuisance and resolves within a week or two on the face, or several weeks on the legs without needing any treatment.

We cannot treat your predisposition to develop varicose or spider veins, so new veins may reappear in the same area or in other areas within next few years. Usually a touch-up treatment to remove new veins will be needed every 1-3 years.*

After the blood vessels are treated with laser energy, they sometimes swell up slightly, and the body moves in to begin the job of removing the treated vessels.

Sometimes portions of the vessels will seal off immediately, and a bit of blood stays behind in the treated vessels, causing temporary red or purple coloration. If this happens, the blood in the vessels is usually reabsorbed along with the vessels themselves by the body over a period of several weeks to a couple of months on the legs, without needing any additional treatment.

Because the CoolGlide™ laser can produce a longer, gentler pulse there is much less chance of bruising compared to treatment with first and second generation lasers. Patients who have previously been treated with dye lasers are always impressed by the fact that they look good immediately after CoolGlide™ treatment, with little or no discoloration of the skin.

Heredity, or genetic predisposition to weak vein walls and vein valves, is the main reason why varicose and spider veins develop. This means that there is a 60-80% chance that someone in your family already has vein problems. There are also contributing factors that can accelerate the progression of the disease, including pregnancy, birth control pills, lack of exercise, prolonged sitting or standing, and even obesity. The aging process increases the likelihood of varicose and spider veins.

Dr. Vafa is a board certified physician specializing in the use of Botox Cosmetics, Dysport, Xeomin, Sculptra, Juvederm, Voluma, Restylane, Perlane, Boletero, Radiesse, Kybella, Cosmetic Laser Procedures, Radio-Wave Surgery, Smartlipo and the treatment of acne and facial aesthetics. Dr. Vafa performs thousands of aesthetics procedures yearly, making him one of a handful of physicians in New York who has been awarded a Diamond Level Provider designation from Allergan - a level designated to a select number of physicians providing over 100,000 units of Botox Cosmetic treatments and/or over 2000 filler procedures per year. He was awarded the Chairman Level Provider designation which is the highest level provider for Galderma, the makers of Sculptra, Dysport and Restylane and also a Black Level Premier Injector designation by Merz Aesthetics. His work is often referred to as “the downtown look” by his patients- referring to a natural look that does not appear overdone yet yields amazing results*. Dr. Vafa is also an accomplished painter and sculptor whose work was exhibited in galleries in New York, Los Angeles, Paris, and Vancouver, among other cities. Click here for a complete bio of Dr. Vafa.