Sclerotherapy for spider veins around laugh lines on face skin type V? (Photo)

Question

I have small spider veins around my laugh lines on face, skin type V and was wondering what the best procedure is to get rid of them. I've been told by countless HCPs that lasers should not be used and that sclerotherapy would be the safest option. Please provide any advice or recommendations. Living in Toronto Canada. Thank you!

Kamran Afzal, MD · Answer

Blue facial veins can be treated in patients with darker skin tones, including Fitzpatrick skin type V, but treatment selection and preparation are important to minimize the risk of pigmentation changes.
Lasers can still be used safely for facial veins in darker skin types when performed carefully. In my practice, I typically recommend using Hydroquinone for about four weeks before treatment to reduce the risk of post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation. I usually have patients stop it a couple of days before the procedure and then resume about a week afterward. Treatments are typically performed in a series&mdash;often about three sessions&mdash;with gradually increasing energy settings to reduce the risk of complications.
If hyperpigmentation occurs, it is usually temporary and tends to resolve gradually over several months.
Regarding sclerotherapy, although it is very effective for leg veins, I am generally cautious about using it on the face. The facial skin has a different vascular structure and cosmetic tolerance is much lower. A rare but real complication of facial sclerotherapy is skin ulceration, which can take several months to heal and may leave a scar. For that reason, I reserve sclerotherapy on the face only for very select situations.
In most patients with blue facial veins and darker skin types, carefully selected vascular laser treatments tend to be the safer first option, with proper skin preparation and conservative treatment settings.

Sclerotherapy for spider veins around laugh lines on face skin type V? (Photo)

Answers (1)

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