Vascular Thermo Coagulation - Spider™ - Aesthetica Skin Centre

Vascular Thermo Coagulation - Spider™

Spider veins get their name from the web of red or blue veins that often start to spread across your legs as you age. Most cutaneous spider veins are abnormalities of the horizontal capillary loops. Spider leg veins are composed of a feeder vessel and ectatic venous sprouts in the reticular dermis. Their depth is between 180 µm and 1 mm in the skin. Patients with higher age and chronic venous insufficiency are at greater risk. Hormonal factors and occupation play a role in the development of spider veins. There seems to be a decisive genetic factor since the research suggests that 90% of patients have a positive family history of spider veins. These veins are usually in areas behind the knee, but they can appear anywhere on the body. Spider veins typically don’t cause medical problems although most people choose to treat them for medical or cosmetic reasons. At Aesthetica Skin Centre, we use a thermocoagulation procedure, a relatively new technology with advantages such as immediate disappearance of veins, no allergic indications, and no pigmentation. Also, the procedure has applicability to all skin types.

Frequently Asked Questions:

The thermocoagulation procedure uses a SPIDER machine which generates a pulse that produces the thermo-coagulation of veins resulting in their immediate disappearance with no risk of adverse effects or epidermis damage. The ultra-fine, sterilized, needles used in this treatment are disposable and coated with an insulating material. In no case, does it affect surrounding tissues due to its accurate operating range.
Most procedures take about 10 to 15 minutes, and they do not require any special care afterwards. A single session is enough in some cases, although two to four sessions are necessary for many severe spider vein cases.
The procedure is quick, and the results are immediate and long-lasting. It can be applied on any part of the body, even in the most sensitive areas, such as ankles, knees or face. No anaesthesia or bandages are required; the patient can return to regular activity immediately. There are no scars, hematomas, allergic reactions, burns or necrosis afterwards.
It is intended for all adults having telangiectasias, rosacea, erythema and ruby points.
There is certain discomfort, but it is minimal. A topical cream anaesthetic is applied to the skin before the procedure. 
Immediately after treatment, you may experience some itching, heat or minor discomfort in the treated area, which may last about 1 hour. Small papules (as small blisters) may be seen in the treated area, but they will disappear quickly. The patient may resume his/her normal activities immediately. A few days after the session, some small red points or little scabs may appear where the shots were performed, and vascular traces will be highlighted. This indicates that the blood vessel internally coagulated, and the body will be in charge of removing the coagulated tissue.
Thermo-coagulated telangiectasias definitely disappear and will not reappear. New ones may appear but not the treated ones.
Typically, the cost of the treatment is lower than that of laser or sclerotherapy. The cost will depend on the area to be treated, but it is an affordable treatment.

References:

Braverman, I.M., (2000). The cutaneous microcirculation. J Invest Dermatol Sympos Proc., 5:3-9. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11147672/

Goldman, M.P., (2001). Sclerotherapy treatment of Varicose and Telangiectatic Veins. 3rd edition St Louis: Mosby –Yearbook.

Mujadzic, M., Ritter, E. F., & Given, K. S. (2015). A Novel Approach for the Treatment of Spider Veins. Aesthetic surgery journal, 35(7), NP221–NP229. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4551823/

Nakano, L., Cacione, D. G., Baptista‐Silva, J., & Flumignan, R. (2017). Treatment for telangiectasias and reticular veins. The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews2017(7), CD012723. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6483333