Laser therapy

Laser therapy treats varicose veins with intensely pulsed light beams delivered inside the affected vein: the light energy raises the temperature of the blood in the vessel, the vein wall contracts, and the vein closes and is gradually eliminated by the body as functionless tissue. There are two variants — simple laser, for superficial veins, and endovenous laser, which also solves large varicose veins. The procedure is outpatient, and daily activities are resumed the same day.

Laser therapy at a glance

• Type of procedure: minimally invasive thermal ablation with laser energy
• Variants: simple laser (superficial veins) and endovenous laser (large and superficial veins)
• Anaesthesia: local or, in selected cases, general
• Duration: sessions of 15–20 or 30–45 minutes; with simple laser, 3–5 sessions
• Efficiency: about 94% of cases with endovenous therapy, according to studies
• Hospitalisation: not needed — outpatient procedure
• Recovery: daily activities the same day; work the next day

What is laser therapy for varicose veins?

The laser operation involves delivering intensely pulsed light beams inside the varicose vein. The vascular laser raises the temperature of the blood in the affected vessel, after which the vein closes through a fibrosis process. No longer supplied with blood, the varicose vein is eliminated from the body as functionless tissue, gradually resorbed by the organism.

The energy released by the intensely pulsed light destroys the abnormal veins selectively: the laser harms only a very small portion of the area it acts on and has no special indications related to skin type — it can be applied to practically anyone.

Who is laser therapy recommended for?

Laser treatment comes in two forms, with different indications:

• Simple laser therapy — treats varicose veins under the surface of the skin. Several sessions are usually needed (3–5). It is often a second, aesthetic finishing step after removing large varicose veins through surgical procedures, sclerotherapy or endovenous treatment.
• Endovenous laser therapy — can eliminate both large and superficial veins, being a modern alternative to classic surgery for the venous trunks.

The exact indication — simple laser, endovenous or another method — is established at the vascular surgery consultation with Doppler ultrasound. See also all varicose vein treatment methods.

How does the procedure work, step by step?

1. Anaesthesia — local in most cases; general anaesthesia is used only in selected situations.
2. Vein puncture — through a fine puncture, an optical fibre connected to a diode laser is introduced into the vein.
3. Energy delivery — through the radial delivery of the light, the blood temperature rises and the varicose venous axis is destroyed by the overheating of the vein wall; the vein is obliterated and fibroses as the fibre is withdrawn.
4. Visualisation — the advanced technique uses an optical device to visualise the veins and intervention areas in 3D images, giving the procedure maximum accuracy and efficiency.
5. The end — a session lasts 15–20 minutes for small areas or 30–45 minutes for extended ones; the compression bandage is applied and you go home the same day.

No visible scars remain after the intervention — only a few millimetre-sized marks, easily mistaken for injection marks.

What are the advantages of laser therapy?

• fast recovery — daily activities are resumed the same day, work the next day
• minimal discomfort — most importantly, the absence of post-operative pain
• minimally invasive character and no visible scars — undeniable benefits over classic surgical interventions
• maximum accuracy — 3D visualisation of the veins and intervention areas; endovenous laser therapy has demonstrated efficiency in about 94% of cases
• selectivity — destroys only the abnormal veins, with minimal harm to the surrounding tissue, regardless of skin type

What is the recovery like, day by day?

• Procedure day: daily activities can be resumed immediately; the compression bandage is applied.
• Next day: you can return to work.
• First week: the compression bandage is worn for about 7 days, to help the veins seal. Walking throughout the day is recommended, but not prolonged standing; very tiring physical activities are avoided. A heightened sensitivity may persist in the treated area, disappearing in about a week.
• First two weeks: showers only with lukewarm water; hot baths are resumed only after this period.

Compared with traditional surgical methods, after laser therapy the patient does not feel real pain — the sensation is rather one of heightened sensitivity in the treated area, lasting about a week.

Risks and limitations

The usual reactions are minor and transient: local sensitivity, small bruises or a “pulling” sensation along the vein, subsiding in the following days. Unlike the steam method, the pointwise concentrated laser energy can rarely produce localised burns — the risk is reduced by the precise visualisation of the treated area. For very winding veins, into which the rigid optical fibre penetrates with difficulty, steam ablation may be the more suitable alternative; the decision belongs to the doctor, after the ultrasound.

Laser compared with the other methods

• vs STEAM — both close the vein with heat; laser is very well documented for straight venous trunks, steam excels at winding veins and spreads the heat evenly
• vs sclerotherapy — simple laser competes with sclerotherapy for small superficial veins; sclerotherapy needs no laser equipment and remains statistically preferred for telangiectasias — see foam sclerotherapy
• vs stripping — no vein pulling, no hospitalisation, no visible scars, and back to work the next day

Frequently asked questions

Does laser therapy for varicose veins hurt?

The procedure is done under anaesthesia, and no significant pain appears after the intervention — at most a local sensitivity in the treated area, disappearing in about a week.

How many sessions are needed?

With endovenous laser, a single intervention per vein is usually enough. With simple laser, applied to superficial veins, 3–5 sessions of 15–45 minutes are typically needed.

How effective is laser therapy?

Endovenous laser therapy has demonstrated efficiency in approximately 94% of cases. The result depends on the correct indication, established through the prior ultrasound evaluation.

When can I do sports again?

Walking is recommended from the very first day. Very tiring physical activities are avoided in the first week; intense sport is resumed gradually, at the doctor’s recommendation.

Can I take a bath or sauna after the procedure?

For the first two weeks, only lukewarm showers are indicated. Hot baths (and, by extension, sauna) are resumed after this period, as recommended by the doctor.