Q - What are facial spider veins?
Facial spider veins are a type of vein occurring on the face as a result of age and sun exposure. They are more common among individuals of northern European decent. They may be referred to as starbursts because they often radiate out from a central point just beneath the skin like a starburst or spider. They may also appear as many fine, separate lines, as a tree with many branches, or as a maze of veins.

Q - How are facial spider veins treated?
While many spider veins occurring on the body can be treated with sclerotherapy, facial spider veins are usually best treated with laser therapy due to their small size. There are many different types of lasers which may be used including the Fraxel Laser, the VBEAM pulsed dye laser and the KTP laser. The VBEAM and KTP lasers are ideal for treating blood vessels as they eliminate them without damaging the surrounding the skin.

Q - What is laser surgery?
Laser surgery can be used with a variety of different types of lasers for a variety of different applications including skin resurfacing, spider vein treatment, rosacea treatment, and the removal of brown spots, birthmarks, skin lesions and tattoos. Facial spider veins are often treated with a VBEAM pulsed dye laser or KTP laser, which are ideal for treating blood vessels as they eliminate them without causing damage to the nearby skin.

Q - Who is the best candidate for facial spider vein treatment?
Candidates for facial spider vein treatment are in good physical health and have realistic expectations for the improvement of spider veins on the face. A private patient consultation with Dr. Buckingham can help to determine the best treatment for your facial spider veins.

Q - What can I expect during a consultation for facial spider vein treatment?
During your consultation for facial spider vein treatment, you will meet with Dr. Buckingham who will perform a complete facial analysis. This will help to determine the best procedure to meet your desired results. Dr. Buckingham will also address any questions or concerns that you may have about facial spider vein treatment or other cosmetic procedures.

Q - Where are facial spider vein treatments performed?
Laser treatments for facial spider veins are performed in the office setting.

Q - Is anesthesia used during the treatment for facial spider veins?
Facial spider vein treatment using lasers may be performed with a topical or local anesthetic for the patients comfort.

Q - How long does the procedure to treat facial spider veins take to perform?
Facial spider vein treatments utilizing lasers may take from a few minutes up to one-half hour to perform depending on the size and number of treatment areas.

Q - Is there much pain associated with facial spider vein treatment?
Patients undergoing facial spider vein treatment with lasers may experience some mild discomfort which is generally well tolerated.

Q - What is the recovery like after the facial spider vein treatment?
There is little recovery or downtime associated with isolated facial spider vein treatment. Patients often experience little more than light facial redness for the first twenty-four hours after treatment. For some patients, more than one treatment may be necessary. Patients with more significant facial redness or Rosacea or requiring increased energy delivery for more serious facial spider veins may have a slightly more involved recovery period including facial pupura (purple marks) for up to 10 days.

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