While quite intimidating to look at, spider veins are not a cause for concern and are quite common in adults. However, many people would still try to find different medical treatments to minimize the appearance of spider veins for cosmetic reasons. Today, one of the more popular procedures to remove visible blood vessels is the laser spider vein treatment, which uses Lasik technology and minimizes the appearance of spider and varicose veins significantly.However, while minimally invasive, medical professionals still warn against taking and mixing certain medications when availing of the procedure to ensure the best results and your safety.
So can you take antibiotics when getting laser treatment for spider veins? In a nutshell, the answer is no. Due to the blood-thinning and anti-inflammatory properties found in antibiotics, it’s not recommended that you take them before or after your laser treatments.
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Taking Antibiotics Before Getting Your Spider Veins Lasered
Before coming in for the actual treatment, your doctor may ask about any medications that you are on and request you to stop taking certain ones days or weeks before the procedure. This is because certain medications may react negatively to the procedure and be hazardous to your health and recovery.
While it may vary from person to person, blood thinners and blood-thinning medications will likely be required to be put on hold. Though not necessarily used as blood thinners, this does include antibiotics. Many types of antibiotics have blood-thinning capabilities that could cause several complications due to the anticoagulants found in them.
With the transmission of heat from the laser to the veins, these medications could cause internal bleeding in the blood vessels, intense bruising, and other complications. To avoid any unnecessary complications due to antibiotics and blood thinners, it’s best to stop any antibiotic medications at least a week before your procedure.
Antibiotic Treatment After Laser Spider Vein Treatments
While abstaining from antibiotics before a laser spider vein treatment is generally enforced, antibiotics post-procedure can vary. Depending on the urgency for antibiotics, doctors may or may not allow you to immediately resume taking antibiotics after the treatment. While the treatment is over, there are still risks with taking medication containing blood-thinning properties after surgery as your body has yet to fully recover. These include increased bleeding or internal bleeding, bruising, blood clotting issues, and other complications.
To reduce possible side effects of antibiotics during your recovery period, it would be best to wait until you have recovered from the laser treatment completely. If you have other conditions that would require you to take antibiotics or any blood-thinning medications right after your laser treatment, it would be best to run through all medications you plan to take with your doctor to ensure your safety and recovery.
Alternative Treatment Options to Laser Treatments
Laser varicose vein treatments are often done for cosmetic purposes rather than medical conditions as visible blood vessels (varicose veins) are usually harmless and non-hazardous to your health. If you have a medical history or other conditions that require antibiotics or blood-thinning medications for maintenance, it might be best to opt out of laser vein treatments completely.
However, this doesn’t mean that you can’t seek other treatments to address your varicose vein concerns. There are many procedures nowadays that don’t require you to stop medications or antibiotics which could be more suitable for your lifestyle.
Here are a few other effective treatments:
1) Microphlebectomy
Like laser varicose vein treatments, microphlebectomy can remove your varicose veins and minimize their appearance of larger veins through a small medical procedure. During treatment sessions, a physician will create small incisions in the area where you have varicose veins which will force the veins to collapse and close down.
With the collapsed vein no longer allowing blood to flow through it, it will be absorbed by the body causing the blue or purple lines on your skin to slowly disappear and gradually fade away. Due to the minimally invasive techniques used in the procedure, the entire treatment can be completed using just local anesthesia, offering you a fast recovery time post-treatment.
While the microphlebectomy procedure offers you similar results to the laser varicose vein treatments, it generally doesn’t require you to stop taking antibiotics or blood-thinning medications before and after the treatment. This is a great option for those of you who are taking these types of medication for maintenance or treating a pre-existing condition. Though it’s safe to take antibiotics before and after a microphlebectomy, it’s always best to consult your doctor when taking medications before and after any procedure.
2) Compression Therapy
Before considering invasive procedures and treatments like laser varicose vein treatments, you might want to consider compression therapy. Mainly used for visible leg veins, compression therapy may be recommended by your doctor. You’ll be using compression stockings for a certain amount of time.
Compression socks and stockings are said to offer support to your veins and can boost blood pressure and blood circulation to areas in your body. In relation to varicose veins, this targets the root cause of their formation which is poor blood flow and pooling of blood. If you’re suffering from a very mild case of varicose or spider veins, compression socks could target the root cause of them and help reduce their appearance on your skin. While this is often more of a preventative practice for varicose veins, it could help alleviate the leg pain and soreness you feel due to your varicose veins.
Due to the fact that compression therapy is a non-invasive treatment, it’s safe for you to continue any medication you’re currently taking including antibiotics. With compression therapy, there’s no risk in taking antibiotics or blood-thinning medications. In fact, it can even lower the risk of infection and reduce severe pain from invasive procedures while removing visible blood vessels from the skin surface.
3) Exercise
While not a medical procedure, exercise could help prevent your varicose Veins. It’s important to note that it’s unlikely that exercise will get rid of already formed varicose veins as opposed to other treatments and procedures.you can take antibiotics and blood-thinning medications when you exercise.
If you have pre-existing conditions or need to take antibiotics, this might be the best route for you to take. What exercise does is prevent your body from forming varicose veins and stop them from occurring in the first place, since varicose veins are formed due to weak veins causing blood pools and blood clots in one area.
As exercise has been proven to strengthen the body and improve blood circulation, exercise will target the root cause of varicose veins. Any form of regular exercise and physical activity whether it be running, swimming, yoga, or lifting will help improve your blood circulation and vein strength which in turn could help you prevent the appearance of spider veins.
Learn More: What’s the Easiest Way to Get Rid of Spider Veins on the Face?
Get Safe and Professional Laser Spider Vein Treatments from The Vein Clinic Doctor
While most people want to minimize the appearance of their spider and varicose veins, not every treatment plan is suitable for everyone’s lifestyle. Though laser spider vein treatments and other surgical procedures are generally safe, elective and optional cosmetic treatments like laser treatments could affect or worsen pre-existing conditions. If you’re taking medications to treat other conditions, it’s best to consult a health professional to pick the best treatment for you and your health.
From laser to compression therapy, the options for varicose vein removal are endless. Here at Vein Center Doctor, we are dedicated to providing our patients with the best results through treatments that fit their lifestyles. Not sure which treatment plan is for you? Contact us for a consultation and book an appointment today.
