After your surgery
Endovenous laser treatment
All patients must don their compression stockings prior to leaving the clinic. If sclerotherapy has also been performed, your leg(s) may need to be wrapped with compression bandages.
After leaving the clinic
- Keep wearing the compression stockings/bandages continuously until the next day. Refrain from showering or bathing the same day after your surgery; you may take a sponge bath instead.
You may resume taking showers/baths from the next day. - You may eat as normal; however, refrain from drinking alcohol.
- If you are still experiencing pain and/or tenderness with the oral medication you received at the clinic, please use the suppository pain reliever.
- Your first follow-up exam is normally scheduled 1 week after surgery. Please contact the clinic immediately if you should experience heavy bleeding, strong tingling in your toes, problems walking or extreme swelling.
Returning to daily activities
- The compression stockings should be worn during the day, only removing them for sleeping and bathing. Continue wearing the stockings for 3 – 6 weeks.
- Be sure to discuss when to resume exercising and sports with the doctor as it can vary for each individual. (In general, light exercise can be resumed the next day and strenuous exercise/competitive sports in 1 – 2 weeks.)
Possible side effects after endovenous laser treatment
Endovenous laser treatment is minimally invasive vascular treatment that places little strain on the body and allows for quick recovery. Even with successful treatment the following discomforts may occur. The rate of occurrence varies depending on the type of laser employed and for each individual.
Bruising
You may experience some red or purple colored bruising, spreading out like lines on a map, from the thigh to about the knee and down to the ankle, approximately 1 or 2 weeks after surgery.
Swelling
Similar in degree to the bruising described above, you may experience some swelling. Even if you experience no bruising, you may experience some temporary swelling or edema as part of the normal process of your circulation improving.
Tenderness, numbness
You may experience tenderness and/or numbness along the laser treatment site. Tenderness may develop immediately following surgery and may continue for approximately 1 to 4 weeks, depending on the individual. Numbness may last up to a few months.
Lumps
Palpable lumps may form along the laser treatment or sclerotherapy site. This is a reaction to the veins closing up and will naturally be absorbed by your body with time, sometimes needing 3 months to about a year to completely disappear.
Pigmentation changes
You may experience post-inflammation pigmentation changes which may last 3 months to as long as 2 years.
* You may experience any of the above side effects even when post-treatment recovery is progressing well.
There is generally no effect on normal daily activities.
Be assured that side effects eventually resolve over time.
Long-pluse YAG laser treatment
Please note
- All procedures are conducted with the utmost of safety. Multiple sessions are required for maximum effectiveness.
- The number of sessions required may vary depending on degree of condition and scope of treatment.
- In the case of varicose vein treatments, three or more sessions are necessary, each one or two months apart.
- Following laser treatment, patients may experience pigmentation changes, superficial burning, crusting and tenderness.
- Pigmentation changes may take up to several months to resolve.
- While the GentleYAG laser has been shown to be extremely effective for the above-mentioned applications, results may vary and 100% improvement is not guaranteed.
- We kindly request patients shave the area to be treated at home prior to treatment.
