Spider vein removal: Spider veins, or telangiectasias, are small, thin, blood vessels visible beneath the skin. They appear most commonly on the face and legs and may look like a series of lines, tree branches, or a spider- or web-like shape with a dark center. New technology allows us to treat spider veins without surgery or other procedures that require an extended hospital stay and long recovery. Laser ablation takes only 20 minutes in one to two sessions. The laser aims carefully controlled pulses of narrow-wavelength light at the damaged veins. The veins absorb the light and heat up, then collapse and close. They are then gradually re-absorbed by the body. Normal activities can be resumed immediately.