Face wrinkles are a common problem for many people, and the most common way to treat them is by investing in laser treatments at the dermatologist’s office. However, these treatments can be quite expensive, and they often require multiple sessions to achieve the desired results. In addition, some people may not be able to afford or justify spending so much money on their appearance.
Fortunately, there is another option available: home laser treatments! While there are a number of different machines out there that claim to be able to remove wrinkles, some are better than others. We’ll take a look at some of these machines and examine how they compare with each other so that you can decide which one might be right for you.
Read on to learn more about Laser For Face Wrinkles At Home, Laser For Facial Veins Cost, and Medical Advice for Spider Vein Removal
Laser For Face Wrinkles At Home
If you think you can flip a switch to get smoother, brighter skin, well… you kinda can. Some of the newest anti-aging innovations offer the same technology that’s available in dermatologists’ offices—LED lights, lasers, electrical currents—in a lower-strength form you use in your own bathroom. And doctors say they can deliver similar results, if you’re up for putting in the time. “With these gadgets, it can take months of diligent use before you see a difference in your skin, whereas a similar office procedure may do the same after only one or two sessions,” says Ellen Marmur, M.D., an associate clinical professor of dermatology at New York City’s Mount Sinai School of Medicine.
Of course, those one or two sessions can cost you thousands of dollars, while most at-home tools range from $200 to $500. Still, these machines aren’t cheap, so are they worth it? “If your skin is sensitive to ingredients like retinoids, a device offers a gentler alternative,” says Marmur. “Plus, it can boost the effectiveness of your anti-aging products.” We asked a slew of women, all over 35, to try out the latest models for several months, then report back. Here are the FDA-approved gadgets that our testers and top dermatologists say truly work.
Smooths wrinkles: LightStim for Wrinkles, $249
What it does: LEDs (light-emitting diodes) beam painless wavelengths into the skin. “This revs up your skin’s collagen production, which over time reduces wrinkles and prevents new ones from forming,” says Fredric Brandt, M.D., a board-certified dermatologist in New York City and Miami. “Plus, it’s safe and gentle on all skin tones.”
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How to use it: After cleansing, hold the wand on each section of skin you want to treat for three minutes per area. Depending on how much skin you plan to cover, the full shebang takes 10 to 20 minutes, five times a week. You’ll see results after eight weeks, at which point you can cut back usage to twice a week.
What to expect: “The light felt warm and relaxing,” says Felicia, 48, who has olive skin and saw a big improvement on her forehead lines and brown spots. “By two weeks in, my skin looked so good I stopped wearing foundation.”
The bottom line: LightStim can fade fine lines and moderate sun spots, “but if you have heavy-duty sun damage or wrinkles, you’ll see better results from a professional laser treatment,” says Brandt. “However, I like that you can use this device with anti-agers like retinol or glycolic acid post-treatment, and it won’t cause extra irritation.”
Fades spots and lines: Tria Age-Defying Laser, $495
What it does: It sounds right out of a James Bond movie: A diode laser boosts collagen and elastin to smooth wrinkles, though devotees say it also makes their skin soft and even-toned (currently, the Tria is FDA-cleared only to treat lines). “It’s modeled after the fractionated lasers that doctors use, which trigger the skin’s healing response,” says Macrene Alexiades-Armenakas, M.D., Ph.D., an associate clinical professor of dermatology at Yale University School of Medicine.
How to use it: On clean skin, place the tool on one cheek; continually glide it over the area until the buzzer beeps, then do the same on your other cheek, forehead, and chin. The device has three levels (you gradually work up to level 3), so depending on which one you use, it can take up to 10 minutes to treat your whole face. Do this five nights a week for 12 weeks, then repeat the cycle later on if new spots or lines appear.
What to expect: “The zapping felt like hot pinpricks, but it was tolerable,” says Elizabeth, 45, who wanted to get rid of brown spots on her fair skin. “When I first used the Tria, my entire face looked sunburnt afterward, though the redness subsided after about an hour.” Within two weeks, Elizabeth said her skin looked even and luminous, “and by the end of the three months, my crow’s-feet were much softer, too.”
The bottom line: “Because the Tria causes temporary skin inflammation, don’t use a retinoid or a glycolic acid product on the same nights that you do the treatment,” says Alexiades-Armenakas. “It’ll also make skin more sensitive to the sun, so you must wear a broad-spectrum, SPF 30 sunscreen every day.”
Firms slack skin: NuFace Mini Facial Toning Device, $199
What it does: Like a personal trainer for your face, this massaging gadget tones skin so it gets smoother and tighter by emitting low-level electrical currents.
How to use it: Apply the face gel that comes in the kit (it helps the currents penetrate skin), then slowly roll the metal spheres in an upward motion over each area you want to tighten. The entire treatment takes only a few minutes, but you have to do it five times a week for eight weeks, then two to three times a week to keep up the results.
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What to expect: “It’s like a cold, slightly tingly massage,” says 44-year-old Wendi, who used NuFace on her jawline, neck, cheeks, and forehead. “I saw immediate tightening after the first use, and over the eight weeks, my skin became much firmer. I got a lot of ‘Wow, you look amazing!’ remarks from friends, and a few even told me I looked much younger.”
The bottom line: While the skin-tightening effect is legit, it’s also short-lived. “The microcurrents cause minor swelling that makes skin look plump and lifted, but the effect starts to fade after a few hours,” explains Marmur. “So long as you’re using the device five days a week you’ll keep seeing results, but there’s no long-term benefit—though the massaging action improves circulation and gives skin a healthy glow.”
Clears up adult acne: Quasar Baby Blue, $349
What it does: This wand waves its magic on pimples, releasing gentle blue LED light that destroys acne-causing bacteria and shrinks a zit in as little as a few days.
How to use it: On just-washed skin, glide the device over breakout-prone areas using circular motions. Treat each area for four minutes, three to five days a week for eight weeks. Then, to stay pimple-free, use it one to three days a week.
What to expect: After trying every over-the-counter product to nix her chin and jaw acne, Lauren, 36, said this little machine cleared up her skin in just 48 hours. “I’ve been using it a few times a week for two months now, and I haven’t had a single breakout,” she says.
The bottom line: “This device is the same technology that we use in-office to treat persistent acne,” says Marmur. “It really does the job without drying out your skin the way some products can.
Laser For Facial Veins Cost
Are you sick of those uncomfortable red marks that look like spider webs on your skin? Do you want to get rid of them? If so, you might be wondering what’s the average spider veins laser treatment cost.
Laser treatment is often recommended by medical spas and some internet sources as the best spider vein treatment out there. The truth is, laser treatment is actually a pretty ineffective (and insanely expensive) treatment for spider veins.
The best spider vein treatment (that’s also more reasonable) is actually Sclerotherapy.
Of course, both treatments are used in different situations. The best way to determine which spider vein treatment is right for YOU specifically is to contact your local spider vein specialist in NY or spider vein specialist in NJ. Not only will they be able to tell you which is the best spider vein treatment for you (usually Sclerotherapy), they will also give you an exact quote.
However, we can give you a brief overview of vein removal costs.
In this article, we’ll give you an overview of both laser treatment and sclerotherapy for spider veins along with the average cost of laser spider vein treatment and the average cost of sclerotherapy.
Is Spider Vein Treatment Necessary?
Some people falsely believe that spider veins are not serious.
That is entirely untrue for a number of reasons. Basically, spider veins are three things — hideous, painful, and dangerous.
Hideous
Spider Veins are hideous. Seriously, they look like red inflamed spider webs crawling across your skin. And once you get spider veins, they keep growing.
Initially, you might be able to cover up the spots with your clothing. But these spider veins continue growing and spreading till you can’t hide them anymore.
Painful
Spider veins can also be seriously painful and uncomfortable. They prevent you from being able to sit or stand properly.
Even when you walk, you look clearly uncomfortable, which gives people the impression that you might have rashes.
No one wants that.
Dangerous
From a medical standpoint, removing spider veins is necessary because it’s actually dangerous.
Spider Veins can be harmless on their own. But, in most cases, spider veins are just a symptom of underlying Chronic Venous Insufficiency.
Venous Insufficiency is a serious medical condition in which the valves in the veins malfunction. This causes blood to pool down in the legs, causing spider veins and varicose veins.
If you have venous insufficiency (which you most probably do), you have to seek medical advice immediately. If you leave it untreated, it can lead to bleeding, ulcers, infections, and so much more. If the accumulated blood in the veins clots (a condition called Deep Vein Thrombosis), it can even potentially get carried to your lungs and cause death!
Basically, if you have spider veins, go to a reputable Vein Treatment Clinic immediately and consult a spider vein specialist!
How Much Does Laser Treatment for Spider Veins Cost?
Now that you know why it’s important to seek spider vein treatment, let’s discuss laser treatment and the cost of vein removal.
What is Laser Treatment?
Laser Treatment is a method in which a laser is used to generate heat that can, over time, destroy the damaged veins, thus getting rid of spider veins.
Laser treatment is usually suggested by medical spas because it doesn’t have to be administered by an actual vein doctor.
Average Cost of Laser Spider Vein Treatment
The average cost of laser spider vein treatment usually varies between $300 to $600 per session. But that is just for one session.
Laser spider vein treatment is not at all efficient. You have to basically come for multiple sessions for several weeks or months before you see any notable changes.
So you can potentially spend thousands of dollars (maybe even tens of thousands) on laser treatment for spider veins.
Laser Treatment for Spider Veins on Face Cost
The face is usually dense with arteries so it needs to be treated more delicately. As such, laser treatment for spider veins on face cost is usually pretty high.
The exact cost differs based on clinics, but it’s on the higher end of the $300 to $600 range, per session.
Is Laser Treatment the Best Spider Vein Treatment?
Laser Treatment is an extremely INEFFECTIVE spider vein treatment.
It takes extremely long to carry out, requires multiple sessions over weeks and months, and you might still not see considerable results. More importantly, laser treatment is not a permanent solution and your spider veins may resurface later.
The ONLY situations in which laser treatment may be an appropriate solution is when you have spider veins in your face or feet. In those cases — and ONLY in those cases — a spider vein specialist may recommend laser treatment instead of the superior sclerotherapy treatment.
Best Spider Vein Treatment: Sclerotherapy
Sclerotherapy is a non-surgical and minimally-invasive spider vein removal treatment. A solution called Sclerosant is injected into the affected vein so that the vein walls can be sealed and closed down. The accumulated blood is then rerouted to healthier veins.
Sclerotherapy is the best and most effective spider vein treatment available.
Average Cost of Sclerotherapy Treatment
The national average for a Sclerotherapy session is approximately $350. It’s also a lot more effective than laser treatment so you won’t be coming back for repeat sessions for several months.
Basically, sclerotherapy treatment is a fraction of the cost of laser treatment.
Why is Sclerotherapy the Best Spider Vein Treatment?
Sclerotherapy is the best spider vein treatment for the following reasons:
- It is a minimally-invasive treatment.
- Causes no pain, either during or after treatment.
- The whole process only takes 30 minutes.
- You can see the results very soon.
- You can go ahead with your daily activities immediately after the treatment.
- This is a permanent solution. The spider veins don’t come back.
Medical Advice for Spider Vein Removal
A lot of people don’t seek treatment for spider veins because they think it’s no big issue. Some people are told to check out laser treatment and they are scared away by the prospect of spending thousands of dollars.
But, as we have shown, spider veins should be taken seriously. Under some situations, it can be life-threatening if left untreated.
And if you pursue sclerotherapy — as you should because it’s the best spider vein treatment option available — the cost of vein removal is pretty manageable.
So we highly recommend going to a spider vein specialist in NY or spider vein specialist in NJ for medical advice.
At Vein Treatment Clinic, we work with VIP Medical Group to give our patients access to the world’s best board-certified Ivy-league educated vein specialists. They can study your condition to come up with a treatment plan and they can give you an accurate quote for spider vein removal.
So go ahead and book an appointment with your nearest vein treatment clinic today.
laser vein removal face side effects
Vein Therapies, whether for leg veins, foot & ankle veins, or facial vein, have become much safer over the years. This is due to advances in modern technologies that did not exist before or from improvement in more traditional therapies. Examples include the development of new laser devices, invention of safer catheter technologies such as radiofrequency catheters, smaller instrumentations due to fiber optics and laparoscopy, and the development of new medications and chemical substances that can replace the need for prior more-invasive procedures or surgeries. Improvements in imaging, such as higher definition ultrasound machines, CT scans, and MRIs has also aided vein specialists to treat vein diseases with less invasive options.
Still, even with these less invasive procedures there is still going to be risks involved. All interventional therapies are associated with risks of complication. The risks have just decreased. I will discuss some of the possible risks associated with commonly performed vein procedures that are discussed on the pages of our website.
Risk of All Invasive Procedures
Any invasive procedure, whether to a vein or other structure, have potential risks, complications, or side effects. This can include bleeding, scarring, infection, blood vessel injury, blood clots, nerve injury, or accidental injury to other adjacent structures. New abnormal veins can also develop after vein procedures. Lymphatic damage or chronic swelling can sometimes result. Most vein procedures go well, but there is also the possibility of an adverse side effect or complications. A very rare potential complication is a retained foreign body as a result of catheter, wire, sheath, or IV breakage or dislodgment during the procedure.
Possible Side Effects of Lasers
Lasers include diode lasers used for Endovenous Laser Treatment (EVLT), but also other other laser devices such as YAG lasers. The risks of vein lasers include thermal injury to the skin, manifesting as skin burns. This is a rare occurrence due to lower levels of laser heat being delivered with these procedures. If you develop this complication you may develop scarring or change in the pigmentation of the skin at the treatment area involved. The pigmentation changes in the skin could be darker or lighter than the adjacent uninvolved skin. Contact your physician if you believe this complication has occurred. By seeing a board-certified vein specialist with experience in laser vein treatments you will minimize your chance of complications occurring. It is also advised that a physician perform the actual laser vein procedure.
Other risks of lasers result from the laser heat energy involved with the laser device. This can include heat damage to nerves or soft tissues adjacent to the veins. Soft tissues include the muscles, ligaments, tendons, and adipose tissue (fat) adjacent to the veins. The skin is the most commonly affected area. Nerve injuries an lead to chronic pain or numbness.
If deeper veins are treated, other risks or side effects are possible. This can include blood clots (deep venous thrombosis or superficial venous thrombosis) or damage to deeper veins as the result of scar. In more severe cases of blood clots there can be movement or embolization of the clot. The most common area for a clot embolism to travel is the lungs.
If you develop any unusual symptoms after a vein procedure, immediately contact your physician or go to the nearest emergency room to be evaluated. Ultrasounds and CT scans can be done to evaluate for possible blood clots. It is very routine to have a vein ultrasound performed following a procedure to evaluate for any complications, side effects, or blood clots. You should also receive a follow up physical examination by your vein specialist after any vein treatment to ensure that no unusual side effects or complications have occurred.
Safety goggles should be worn during laser procedures to protect the eyes / retina. So your vein specialist will ask you to wear safety goggles while laser procedures are being performed.
Possible Side Effects of Radiofrequency Ablation Therapy
Radiofrequency Ablation (RFA) includes procedures like ClosureFast, Venefit, and VNUS procedures. RFA is a type of thermal treatment, so side effects are typically related to heat delivery to adjacent structures. These side effects include thermal injury to the skin, nerves, muscles, or other soft tissues next to the vein. This can lead to discoloration of the skin, scars, numbness, tingling, or chronic pain of the treated area. Blood clots or injury to adjacent veins or blood vessels can occur. Bleeding is another possible complication. Since veins are under low pressure, most cases of bleeding from leg veins that results from superficial venous procedures is minor and can be controlled by direct pressure or a suture.
Possible Side Effects of Sclerotherapy
Sclerotherapy risks include allergic reactions or drug related side effects (exact nature depends on which sclerosant drug is used). Skin related side effects include abnormal skin pigmentation, matting (abnormal vein development), blood clots, bleeding, skin wounds / ulcers, scarring, injury to adjacent vessels, and pulmonary embolism. Extravasation of the drug into other tissues around the treatment area or accidental injection into other blood vessels (such as arteries) can lead to other tissue damage, pain, scars, or treatment failure. The most common side effect of sclerotherapy is hyperpigmentation of areas of skin at or near the treatment sites. Hyperpigmentation usually resolves with time, but can sometime takes many months or even up to a year to resolve.
Possible Side Effects of Varithena
Since varithena is a type of sclerotherapy treatment, the risks are the same as those described for sclerotherapy above.
Possible Side Effects of Venaseal
Venaseal is a medical glue that is injected into veins. Side effects can include medication allergy, abnormal inflammatory response of the tissues surrounding the treatment site, infections, chronic pain, injury to adjacent blood vessls, injury to adjacent soft tissues or organs. Other possibilities include bleeding and abnormal vein development adjacent to the treatment sites.
Possible Side Effects of Clarivein
Clarivein is a combination of mechanical disruption of a vein and use of a sclerosant drug. So the risk include those described for sclerotherapy. Other possibilities include bleeding, scarring, infection, blood vessel injury, blood clots, nerve injury, or accidental injury to adjacent structures. New abnormal veins can also develop after vein procedures. Most vein procedures go well, but there is also the possibility of an adverse side effect or complications. A very rare potential complication is a retained foreign body as a result of catheter, wire, sheath, or IV breakage or dislodgment during the procedure.
Possible Side Effects of Phlebectomy and Stripping and Vein Ligation Surgeries
These are open surgical vein procedures to remove or ligate abnormal veins. They are still performed today for more severe forms of varicose veins. Risks include bleeding, scarring, infection, blood vessel injury, blood clots, nerve injury, chronic swelling, lymphatic damage, or accidental injury to other adjacent structures. New abnormal veins can also develop after vein procedures. Most vein procedures go well, but there is also the possibility of an adverse side effect or complications.
Other Vein Procedures & Risks Not Categorized Above
The above categories of vein treatments cover the majority of the vein procedures performed at Austin Vein Specialists. But this list is not all inclusive of all vein procedures available or of other possible rare side effects. A one-on-one discussion of the risks involved with your specific procedure and your specific anatomy should occur between you and your physician before a vein procedure is performed. Both verbal and written consent between you and your doctor is advised before you undergo a vein procedure. It is also advised that you have have your vein condition treated by a physician that is board-certified in vein disease management (i.e Vascular Surgeon) and that this doctor has successfully completed a residency and fellowship in vascular surgery. This ensures the highest level of competency of the physician and helps to minimize your risks of adverse side effects and complications.