Take a Spider to Lunch
Get Rid of Pesky Spider Veins
CVI's Speedy New "Lunch-Time" Procedure
A new machine that's the size of a suitcase can instantly and painlessly erase
spider veins during outpatient sessions so quick they are called "lunch-time procedures."
BIDMC's CardioVascular Institute (CVI), is the first medical group in Boston to offer this new technique since its approval by the FDA last June. Called thermocoagulation or Veinwave, the procedure has been used successfully in Europe for more than a decade.
"Veinwave produces instant results," says
Allen Hamdan, MD, clinical director of the CVI's
Division of Vascular Surgeryry. "The patient can watch spider veins disappear during the procedure."
Here's how it works: The physician traces the veins or blemish with an insulated needle that does not pierce the skin. High-frequency microwave energy heats the weak or damaged blood vessels, causing them to disappear.
Veinwave treatment can be used on legs, arms, the face and other parts of the body, according to Dr. Hamdan. One patient described the sensation as "minor zapping." There are minimal side effects, no bruising or permanent scarring, and the patient's skin can be exposed immediately to the sun. Veinwave is sometimes used in combination with the more common injection procedures.
At the CVI, the treatment is provided by board-certified vascular surgeons from the Division of Vascular Surgery.
To schedule an appointment, please call 617-632-9959.