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A very fine heated needle the size of an eyelash cauterises and removes small lesions, small skin tags, with visible results after one session! A course of three - five are recommended if you have numerous veins.
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What is Diathermy?
Short wave diathermy or (electro-coagulation as it is sometimes called) is a very effective method for treating thread veins and spider veins on the face. A very fine needle is used to prick the skin over the thread veins and spider veins and then an electrical current is passed through the vein which is heated and sealed. Over the course of a few weeks, the vein withers and disperses and becomes much less noticeable or completely disappears. A mild anaesthetic cream is used to numb the area prior to treatment.
After treatment the skin may be pink or puffy in more sensitive areas but this will settle in a few hours. A healing process then starts and the final results will be apparent 4 to 6 weeks after treatment. The success rate for short wave diathermy to facial spider veins and thread veins is 95%.
What is Diathermy aftercare advice?
Immediately after your treatment, facial thread veins will have disappeared. There may be some redness which will gradually fade over the next 2-3 hours.There will be some mild swelling around the treated areas which will resolve in 2-3 hours. This is a natural response which prevents infection
and speeds up healing time. Cool compresses may be applied if required. You may develop small dry patches around the treated area, and then the veins will look as they have reappeared, this is normal
and they fade and dissolve away in a similar way to how the body reabsorbs bruises. The healing process can take 10-28 days to complete. Milia and cholesterol, if treated may be gently exfoliated away 24-48 hours after treatment. Skin tags may have a dark crust and should be left alone to heal. The skin may have a pale tinge when the scab drops off.Treatment may be repeated after 6 weeks if further work is required. Best results usually require 3-5 treatments.If you have any concerns please get in touch.To ensure the healing process goes smoothly:
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•Avoid touching the treated area
•Do not pull or stretch the treated skin
•Do not apply makeup within 24 hours to the treated areas
•Do not pick or scratch the treated areas
•Avoid vigorous blowing of the nose if nose veins have been treated
•Avoid swimming or saunas for the first 48 hours
•Avoid energetic exercise for the first 48 hours
•Protect the treated areas from the sun.
•Avoid apply creams to the affected area for 24 hours.
What complications can occur with Diathermy?
As with any treatment that involves piercing of the skin, infection can occur. Which is why it is important to follow the aftercare advice above. Infection will look red, inflammed, sore, there may be pus evident and you may develop a fever. If this occurs please contact the clinic within hours. We do not provide out of hours services.
Will treated veins, milia or skin tags return after treatment?
Skin tags and milia will not return that have been treated. However as it is difficult to prevent the underlying causes of these conditions & they may reoccur at other sites and the skin has a dense matrix of blood vessels, new veins can reappear. You may need maintenance treatments every 6-12 months to keep veins, milia and skin tags away.
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