Veinwave is an electrical desktop device which uses a needle holder and a footpedal. The practitioner identifies the area for treatment and inserts an ultra-fine insulated needle into the needle holder. Different types of vein will require differing techniques but in respect of straight forward linear veins, the treatment it applied subepidermally along its length. This is minimally invasive, literally breaching only the top layers of skin, and should not pierce the vessel. The nickel needles are insulated with a micro sheath so as not to cause advert trauma to the surrounding tissue. The effect of the treatment is 'instant' - you see the veins disappearing immediately. Some patients leave the treatment without any real visible sign on the skin, other than the lack of veins, and some with more sensitive skin may suffer minor reddening which should disappear within a few days if not hours. The sensation to most is similar to a warm pin prick, others relate it to a minor sting but which does not linger - often it depends upon the location of the treatment. Either way, any discomfort is said to be incomparable to the pain of some laser based treatments and is undoubtedly more effective. Immediately after the treatment you can resume everyday activities. Avoid the sun for a couple of days or use sun block. After a few days very small micro-crusts like the marks from a cat scratch can appear where Veinwave has been applied. This is normal and no special care is needed. These will disappear on their own. It is best not to retreat an area for 6 weeks. At that time your practitioner is best able to see if any small veins remain. Once a thread vein has been successfully treated it cannot come back. It is possible to make more thread veins but these too can be treated. Never use Veinwave on self-tanned skin