Along with the joyful anticipation of meeting your baby, pregnancy comes with a downside, namely the toll it takes on your body. For many women, carrying and delivering a baby brings a few unwelcome reminders of the journey — spider veins.
The good news is that intense pulsed light (IPL) treatments can erase spider veins and help you reclaim your skin’s former glory post-pregnancy. Dr. Nirav Naik, our spider vein expert at New Life Aesthetics in Bakersfield, California, guides you through the intricate web of pregnancy-related spider veins and how IPL can untangle your skin concerns.
Spider veins, or telangiectasia, are tiny blood vessels that twist and turn under your skin’s surface, resembling spider webs or tree branches. They can be blue, purple, or red, and although they’re most common on the legs, they can also appear on your face and other areas of your body.
During pregnancy, your body undergoes significant changes. Increased blood volume and the pressure on the veins from your growing uterus contribute to the development of spider veins. Progesterone, a hormone that relaxes the walls of blood vessels to facilitate blood flow for the baby, can also weaken the vein walls, causing them to dilate.
The prospect of these veins as a long-term feature on your face and legs may feel daunting, especially when you want to focus on cradling your little one and managing other postpartum changes.
But fear not — modern dermatology offers treatments like IPL — noninvasive beams of light that indirectly heat and collapse the veins so your body can gradually absorb them and they fade away. You can get your pre-baby skin back.
IPL is often confused with laser therapy, but there are key differences. Both use light, but IPL emits a broad spectrum, while lasers produce a single wavelength. This gives IPL an advantage in treating a range of tissue colors and imperfections with each pulse.
When applied to spider veins, IPL heats the hemoglobin in your blood, breaking down the vessel walls without harming the surrounding skin. Over the following weeks, your body’s natural processes absorb the treated blood vessels, effectively reducing or eliminating the spider veins without surgical intervention.
Safety is paramount when Dr. Naik considers any treatment for a new mother, especially in the delicate period following birth. IPL for spider veins during the postpartum period is generally safe, but there are important factors he discusses with you.
If you’re breastfeeding, Dr. Naik recommends waiting until after you wean your baby before you undergo IPL treatment.
When IPL treatments heat and collapse veins, it’s like inducing a controlled injury. This may be a concern if you’ve experienced heavy postpartum bleeding or you’re at risk for it. Dr. Naik discusses your current and past health before determining if IPL is the right choice for you.
Pregnancy hormones can take months to normalize. Stabilizing your hormonal balance before undergoing IPL treatments is best because ongoing hormonal fluctuations can lead to more spider veins.
Before booking your first IPL session, prepare by understanding what to expect from an IPL session during the postpartum period.
Dr. Naik hovers the IPL device over the target area and activates it to deliver pulses of light. You may experience a slight stinging sensation like a rubber band snapping on your skin with each pulse.
Immediately after the procedure, your skin may appear red and feel like a mild sunburn. This typically subsides within a few hours to a few days.
For many new moms, spider veins are just one of life’s little reminders that come with the bundle of joy. For others, they’re an unwelcome blemish.
In the grand scheme of motherhood, addressing spider veins may seem trivial. But if it means taking a step closer to reclaiming the unique aspects of your pre-baby sense of self and well-being, it’s a pursuit worth considering.
Now that you know about spider veins, their connection to pregnancy, and how IPL treatments can help, call New Life Aesthetics to schedule a consultation with Dr. Naik and find out if IPL is right for you.
