Can spider veins be treated during pregnancy?

It is best to wait until the pregnancy is over before one embarks on spider vein treatment. The reason is that spider veins may sometimes spontaneously disappear after your pregnancy. Moreover, you do not want the doctors to fool around on your body with lasers and chemicals while you are pregnant

Are there any preparations required before one undergoes laser or sclerotherapy for spider veins?

In general None, but you must have money. For those who are obese, one may want to lose some weight before the procedure. Anyone who is taking blood thinning medications should discuss this with their doctor before the procedure. If you are going for laser, avoid getting a suntan at least 4-6 weeks prior to the procedure. The laser can sometimes cause a permanent discoloration of tanned skin

Who treats spider veins with lasers?

Unfortunately, today every tom, dick, Harry and Filipina has a spa or clinic where lasers are used liberally. Lasers are supposed to be used by people who have had some type of training but the world of beauty and skincare remains unregulated. If you want to avoid complications, seek a  cosmetic surgeon, vascular surgeon, dermatologist or plastic surgeon. The majority of spas and salons are staffed by people who cannot not tell the difference between the mouth and the a..e. These places may be cheap but you also risk being burnt and losing your eye sight.

What is the disadvantage of laser for spider veins?

Laser therapy is slightly more expensive than sclerotherapy. But since Laser produces excellent results, it is fast becoming the procedure of choice. Laser treatment for spider veins can cost anywhere from $200-$800 per session

How many laser sessions are required to treat spider veins on the legs?

Whether it is sclerotherapy or laser, most cosmetic physicians will make you come in for a minimum of 2-3 sessions. If you look rich and sexy, perhaps many more sessions. The results of laser usually last a few months at best.

Do all spider veins on the legs need treatment?

Absolutely not. Removal of spider veins is a personal choice because they are only of a cosmetic concern. If left alone, they cause no harm. If you want to prevent them from getting more obvious, wear a decent pair of compression stockings. 

I am a 31 year old female and have melasma. How does one treat this skin condition?

Melasma results in darkening of skin and thus all treatments are geared towards lightening your skin. Current treatments for melasma include sunscreens, bleaching creams (e.g. hydroquinone), acne creams (e.g. azelaic acid), topical retinoids (e.g. tretinoin), and facial peels where an acid solution is used to remove outer layers of skin (e.g. glycolic acid peels or the blue peels). 

Some spas also incorporate a combination approach such as triple-combination cream (hydroquinone, tretinoin, and steroid). Some plastic surgeons also offer a variety of lasers to get rid of your melasma. As to which one is the best is anyone’s guess. 

What you have to understand that in most cases, melasma disappears on its own. So it is impossible to tell if anyone of these remedies really work!  The only two things for sure are that 1) you will certainly be paying big bucks for anyone of these treatments and 2) one of these treatments will probably worsen your skin condition