New technique relieves unsightly hand veins.

• Position: Laser Surgery

The expression "turning back the hands of time" may have literal meaning as more people begin to see their hands as a telltale sign of aging. Some women go to extremes to hide their hands because of loose, sun-damaged skin, age spots, or prominent veins. Laser ablation--a new and relatively quick procedure--can ease their minds and erase unwanted hand veins, according to a study by the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, Arlington Heights, Ill.

"As people age, they often lose fat tissue in their hands as well as skin elasticity, making the veins more prominent and distinguishable. Although many women ate annoyed by the veins in their hands, some of my patients are so concerned they will actually place their hands on the table, palms up, so they don't show," relates Roxanne Guy, ASPS vice president and co-author of the study. "Our aim with this new technique was to find a safe and quick procedure to eliminate prominent hand veins for our patients without having to undergo serious surgery."

Laser ablation uses a laser placed on the tip of a wire, which surgeons thread into the vein. As the wire is pulled out slowly, the energy from the laser heats up the vein and blood...