Spider Vein Treatment
Spider veins are small, dilated blood vessels that show through the skin as fine red, purple, or blue lines. On the face they tend to gather around the nose, cheeks, and chin, and they can make the complexion look flushed or weathered even when makeup covers everything else. On the legs they often form branching clusters on the thighs and calves. Patients from Beverly Hills, Bel Air, Studio City, and across Los Angeles come to Parsa M.D. to learn what is causing their visible vessels and whether laser or light treatment is a good fit.
The laser most often used for spider veins at Parsa M.D. is Vasculaze, an InMode device, and Dr. Kami Parsa has served as a consultant to InMode and a member of its speakers’ bureau. His ophthalmology residency at USC’s Doheny Eye Institute and his fellowship in oculoplastic and reconstructive surgery at the Bascom Palmer Eye Institute shape how laser energy is used near the eyes, where the protective eye shields and settings matter as much as the treatment itself.
“Facial spider veins are rarely just a cosmetic issue. They often travel with sun damage or rosacea, and if you only treat the vessels you can see today, new ones keep appearing. We look at what is driving them and treat that as well.” — Dr. Kami Parsa
What Causes Spider Veins?
Spider veins, also called telangiectasias, form when tiny blood vessels near the surface widen and stay dilated. Common causes include:
- Sun damage: Ultraviolet light weakens the skin and vessel walls, making vessels on the cheeks and nose more visible over time.
- Rosacea: This chronic inflammatory condition causes facial redness, flushing, and visible vessels.
- Genetics: A family tendency toward fair skin, rosacea, or leg veins increases risk.
- Hormones: Pregnancy, birth control, and hormone therapy can bring on or worsen spider veins.
- Alcohol, heat, and injury: Frequent flushing from alcohol or heat, and trauma to the skin, can leave vessels permanently dilated.
- Standing and circulation on the legs: Long hours standing, weight gain, and pressure in the leg veins contribute to leg spider veins.
How Spider Veins Are Evaluated
Dr. Parsa or a licensed member of his clinical team will examine the vessels’ size, color, and location and review your skin tone and history. Facial redness is assessed for rosacea, and any unusual red spot, bleeding bump, or sore that does not heal is evaluated before treatment, since not every red lesion is a harmless vessel. Leg veins are checked for signs of deeper venous disease, such as bulging varicose veins, swelling, aching, or skin changes near the ankles, which need evaluation by a vein specialist before cosmetic treatment. Team members are described on our Our Providers page.
Spider Vein Treatment Options in Beverly Hills
Each linked page explains the device, candidacy, and recovery in detail:
- Vasculaze laser: Vasculaze targets the blood in individual vessels so they close and are gradually absorbed by the body.
- 532 laser: The 532 Laser treats fine red facial vessels and small red spots.
- Intense pulsed light: Lumecca IPL treats diffuse redness along with scattered vessels in lighter and medium skin tones, and can address sun-related brown spots at the same time.
Most patients need one to three sessions spaced several weeks apart, and small vessels respond faster than larger ones. Treated vessels fade over several weeks. New spider veins can form over time, especially with ongoing sun exposure or rosacea, so sun protection and occasional maintenance are part of the plan.
Disclosure: Dr. Parsa has served as a consultant to InMode, the manufacturer of Vasculaze.
Risks and When to Seek Care
Temporary redness, swelling, and a mild sunburn-like feeling are common after treatment, and some vessels look darker before they fade. Less common risks include bruising, blistering, crusting, pigment changes, and, rarely, scarring. Laser and light treatments are generally avoided on tanned skin. Contact the office for blistering, signs of infection, or any change in vision after treatment near the eyes. See a physician promptly for a leg that becomes painful, swollen, warm, or red, since this can signal a blood clot.
Why Choose Dr. Parsa for Spider Vein Treatment
- Eye-Area Laser Safety: As an ophthalmologist by training, he treats vessels near the eyes with appropriate protective shields and settings.
- Medical Evaluation First: His internal medicine internship at UCLA informs screening for deeper venous disease and other causes of redness.
- Multiple Technologies: Vasculaze, the 532 laser, and IPL are all available, so treatment can match the vessel type and skin tone.
- Teaching Appointment: He is an Adjunct Clinical Professor at the Keck School of Medicine of USC.
- Professional Memberships: He is a member of the American Academy of Ophthalmology and the American Medical Association.
Schedule a Spider Vein Consultation in Beverly Hills
Your consultation takes place at our office at 465 N Roxbury Dr, Suite 1011, in Beverly Hills. Dr. Parsa and his team will examine your vessels, look for underlying causes, and recommend the laser or light treatment most likely to help. Contact our office to request an appointment.
Medically reviewed by Kambiz K. Parsa, M.D. on
