Botox® and dermal fillers have the magic ability to reverse the signs of aging and instantly refresh your face for a beautiful, youthful look. But what’s not attractive are the bruises these treatments can leave behind.
Even at Prime Med Spa, where our experienced injectors perform thousands of Botox® treatments every month, the inability to detect veins beneath the skin makes it difficult to avoid nipping a blood vessel. That is, until now. With AccuVein, we can see your veins in real time, helping us determine precise injection sites to minimize discomfort and bruising.
About
AccuVein is a small handheld device that gives our injectors, in a sense, “x-ray vision” to see the veins in your face. A laser is scanned over the treatment area without touching the skin, illuminating both large veins and smaller, hidden blood vessels. By avoiding your veins with each injection, we’re able to speed up the healing process and minimize downtime caused by excessive bruising.
Procedure
AccuVein is a non-contact vein illumination solution, meaning it never touches your skin. Rather, it uses two lasers to reveal the unique map of your veins. The first laser uses invisible infrared light, which is absorbed by the hemoglobin in your blood. The second laser is red, and it’s used to project your vein pattern. When the AccuVein device is scanned over your skin, the veins beneath look noticeably different than the surrounding tissue, making it easy for us to avoid them. By using AccuVein during your Botox® or dermal filler treatment, we’re able to provide you with fantastic results and minimal downtime.
Spider Vein Removal Questions
Spider veins, or “telangiectasias” are a common nuisance seen as we age and can occur about the face and legs. Many people first notice them on the sides or base of the nose, but they can also occur on the cheeks and chin. Lasers can be used to shatter the veins microscopically, whereby they can be absorbed by the body and eliminated. This process usually is successful in one to two treatments, but occasionally a third treatment is needed.
Each session takes no longer than one hour, and the overall process can take several months depending on the amount of spider veins present. Generally, 2 to 6 sessions are needed to see notable results. These treatments are spaced out 4-6 weeks apart. Spider veins on the legs that are treated with laser need to be compressed with support garments which are sold or provided to our patients at Prime Med Spa. These are very comfortable and attractive looking medical grade versions of yoga pants!
Some patients report a tingling sensation as the laser zaps the affected area, but it should not be painful. Numbing cream is available to reduce discomfort, if any. A blast of cold air anesthetizes the spider veins, masking any discomfort that might occur.
The pigment in tattoos may block the infrared light from penetrating the skin and revealing your veins. If you have facial tattoos, including eyebrow tattoos, and are undergoing tattoo removal, you will need to wait until the tattoos are completely faded before undergoing Botox® or dermal filler treatments with AccuVein.