VeinWave: Your quest for fair, spider-free skin is not in vein

MANILA, Philippines - Are you the type who would easily lose sleep over a facial blemish, like a tiny zit or whiteheads or even freckles? Are you the type who would not think twice about using skin whitening products or visiting a beauty clinic regularly for professional care and pampering? When was the last time you looked closely at your face? Did you ever notice those tiny threadlike veins peeping through your fair skin? Are you bothered? Don’t panic. This is for you.

Dr. Brian Newman, a vascular surgeon in the UK, tells the story of how he came about developing VeinWave, the US FDA-approved treatment for eliminating those unsightly spider and thread veins and even rosacea, a condition in which the blood vessels of the face are enlarged, resulting in redness or a flushed appearance. A nursing assistant in his operating theater was happy about the great results from the vein removal on her legs, so she asked Dr. Newman if he could do the same on her face.

“I did not think she needed work on her face until she removed her makeup,” Dr. Newman relates. “It looked like the map of the London Underground network.”

Since he had never done it on the face before, he first did a patch test using the same equipment he used on the legs but setting it on a different frequency. It was a success! It so happened that his patient was married to a writer for a newspaper, and overnight, the doctor became famous.

“People started asking for it. I had to learn the process, and learn it quickly,” he laughs.

He explains, “It’s purely an aesthetic procedure. But there are some with very bad veins, particularly on the nose and cheeks.”

Before: Spider veins on the cheeks can be unsightly.

He goes on to relate his experience in the UK. “We see people with very red noses with big veins. Usually they are drinkers.”

But it may appear even among those who are not, and unfortunately, they are often mistakenly assumed to be alcoholics. This can be a real problem in certain situations such as when looking for a job. “It can cause psychological problems. They feel anxiety which cause them lots of anguish,” says Dr. Newman. “If we can make them feel better in just a few minutes, why not? It’s a great boost to them.”

It’s a walk-in, walk-out treatment. “Patients walk in with veins and walk out without them,” Dr. Newman says. How long the treatment takes depends on how much veins need to be removed. “If you just have a few on your nose, it can be done in two to three minutes. If you’ve got a lot of red veins on your face, it may take 20 minutes.”

Results are quick and instant, especially for small spider veins. Bigger veins may require a follow-up session, usually four to six weeks apart. “You also need to know and treat the underlying cause,” says Dr. Newman.

Properly treated, they do not return, especially the smaller veins.

minimally invasive. The process makes use of a high-frequency radio energy which is delivered through an ultra-fine insulated nickel needle, which causes the vein walls to collapse, making them disappear instantly. The needle goes through the skin just superficially. No current goes through your body. There is no bleeding. There is no risk of infection.

After: No more spider veins after VeinWave.

“There may be some micro-crusting and some redness, but these also go away,” says Dr. Shyla Samson-Valdez, Facial Care Centre’s in-house dermatologist. The treatment is available exclusively at Facial Care Centre.

“VeinWave is used all over Europe and in every state in America,” says Dr. Newman. It’s also in Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. In Asia, it’s in Malaysia, and now, in the Philippines.

It’s very

“We’ve been using it on all skin types — Caucasian, Asian, there’s no significant difference,” notes Dr. Newman. “If worried, it would be good to do a little test patch so you can see what result you’ll have.”

There’s a Facial Care Centre in Makati, Ortigas, Tomas Morato, Shaw, Alabang,  Congressional, Binondo, Pampanga (961-3404), Cebu (233-7631). For more info, visit www.facialcarecentre.com.ph or call 892-SKIN.