The treated area will actually look worse for a week or two, but after six weeks, if all goes well, the veins become invisible and the healing is complete. During laser treatment, intense light is directed to the veins, eliminating them permanently. Lasers are especially suited to treating spider veins that are so small a needle cannot be used to inject the affected vein. Laser treatments feel similar to being snapped over and over with a large rubber band. Red bruising in the area occurs after treatment and lasts for a few weeks.
Complete healing occurs within six weeks.
Then again, it won't hurt to just leave your legs as they are. You can apply body camouflage makeup to minimize the veins' appearance if it bothers you. Not treating them won't make them get worse or cause them to proliferate. Charles Zugerman, MD, a practicing dermatologist and associate professor of clinical dermatology at Northwestern University Medical School in Chicago, is a fellow of the American Academy of Dermatology and a member of the Chicago Dermatological Society, Chicago Medical Society, American Medical Association, and the Noah Worcester Society. All rights reserved.