Altus Coolglide Laser Therapy for Leg Veins

The CoolGlide Laser developed by Altus Medical Corporation uses a long pulse YAG laser beam to deliver pulses of light energy to treat leg veins, facial blood vessels, and to remove unwanted hair. Leg veins range from tiny, superficial “spider veins” to large, blue “varicose” veins. Varicose veins are blood vessels that are abnormally dilated that appear swollen, twisted and can be painful. Laser therapy with the CoolGlide laser can be a good option for treating unsightly leg veins that are resistant to sclerotherapy.

The Altus CoolGlide laser can treat deep, large vessels from 0.5 mm up to 4 mm in diameter due to its longer wavelength. The advantage of this laser is its ability for deep penetration and relatively low absorption by melanin, making it useful for all skin tones. The laser destroys the blood vessel by producing heat near the blood vessel causing the blood inside to clot.

CoolGlide laser therapy treatment can be uncomfortable so a topical anesthetic may be used to lessen the stinging sensation during the procedure.

Side effects are rare but can include some reddening or swelling of the treated skin for the first 24 hours, mild bruising, and rarely, blistering.

Results are typically seen within 2-6 weeks with final results apparent in a few months. Most blood vessels treated with the laser are completely eliminated, however, some blood vessels, may require several treatment sessions to be eliminated. Some vessels may disappear immediately after the procedure, and then "reappear" several days later. This should be expected for some blood vessels. New vessels can also appear in the treated areas as part of the natural aging process and should not be viewed as a recurrence of the treated vessels.