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"  Up to 50% of American women suffer from abnormal leg veins like varicose and spider veins. Heredity is the number one contributor and hormonal factors including puberty, pregnancy, and menopause affect how these conditions progress. Whether you have varicose veins, the larger swollen and stretched kind which protrude from the skin or spider veins, the small red, blue, and purple web-like or linear veins on the surface of the skin, there aremany options for treatment. Last week I interviewed the director of the New York University Vein Center,Dr. Lowell S. Kabnick, MD, FACS, FACPh, to learn about the newest treatment option for spider veins: the Veinwave. I also got a chance to observe first-hand as he treated a patient with the device which delivers radiofrequency waves, through a pen-like needle holder, directly onto the vein without penetrating it. The energy of the radiofrequency turns into heat sealing the vein from the outside in and, as I saw with my very own eyes, the change in the appearance of the veins is instantaneous. Since January, Dr. Kabnick has been using the instrument clinically on his patients. He described it as an alternative to laser therapy for treatment of spider veins that are too small to be treated with the more traditional sclerotherapy, which is still the gold standard for treating larger spider and varicose veins. The cost of therapy with Veinwave (at $250 to $500 per half-hour treatment) is by no means a bargain but is cheaper than a session of laser treatment ($500 plus). Most likely multiple sessions of Veinwave therapy will be required to cover large or multiple areas. Nevertheless, if you are considering treatment for tiny spider veins, Dr. Kabnick says that it has the following advantages over laser therapy:  The outcome is better than for spider veins on the leg. (However for spider veins of the face, such as those around the nose, the results are similar from both methods) There is less discomfort during treatment. While lasers can be painful--feeling much like a rubber band snapping on your skin--Veinwave feels like a warm pin prick or minor sting. Post treatment, there is less potential damage. Patients undergoing laser treatment have to avoid sun exposure for several weeks to prevent dark or light blotches from developing. After Veinwave, patients can resume outdoor activity immediately.  While patients with sensitive skin can experience minor skin irritation or may develop what looks like minor &amp;quot;cat scratches&amp;quot;, most patients won&amp;#039;t have any significant visible signs on their skin.  While this new tool is not expected to replace other therapies, it certainly seems to be a valid option for treating hair-like spider veins, particularly if you have sensitive skin or just can&amp;#039;t stay indoors for long. "^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
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