A NEW, pain-free and quick procedure to eliminate thread veins — small red, spider-like dilated capillaries which appear on the face and legs — could help the 15 million Britons who suffer from them.
Veinwave, a machine
that passes a high frequency microwave directly into the vein with a
very fine needle, can treat up to 50cm of thread veins in a 15-minute
session. Until now, the main ways of treating thread veins, or telangiectasia,
were micro-sclerotherapy—injecting an irritant into the vein which
makes its walls stick together—and laser technique, which has a
risk of affecting skin pigmentation. Consultant vascular surgeon Brian
Newman, of Medical Innovations, the company that will be distributing
the machine in the UK, says: 'Up to 50 pc of injections fail because
the irritant doesn't get into the vein or leaks outside it, while lasers
can cause burns, and can't precisely target the veins.' Veinwave uses
a needle that is only 0.0075mm thick, through which a 4,000 MHz current
passes into the vein.
The heat destroys the wall and content of the capillaries. It can be
used on any colour skin and there is no risk of burns or inflammation
as the needle, which is so fine it cannot be felt entering the skin,
is insulated. Results can be seen after 48 hours. A trial in France,
involving 400 female patients, had a success rate of over 90%. The treatment
is available from clinics nationwide.
Daily Mail, Tuesday, July 10, 2001 |
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