Laser treatment of leg veins.

The role of lasers and intense pulsed light sources has gained increasing popularity in the management of both cosmetic telangiectasias and medically significant symptomatic varicose vein disease. These advances include endovascular technologies, novel cooling technologies, variable spot sizes and pulse durations, as well as the ability to deliver high-energy fluences. These advances have allowed the delivery of sufficient energy allowing more efficient pan-endothelial necrosis without affecting epidermal structures, and yielding a lower complication profile such as post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation and epidermal surface irregularities. The advent of extended-pulse, longer wavelength technologies such as the 1064 Neodymium:Yttrium Aluminum Garnet (Nd:YAG) laser have allowed the treatment of individuals with darker skin phenotypes, as well as treatment of deep blue reticular veins up to 3 mm in diameter in a monomodal fashion. Combined approaches of sclerotherapy plus laser treatments performed during the same treatment session may produce synergistic results in selected individuals.