Diseases & Conditions
Can blue light therapy erase varicose veins?
Ask the doctor
Q. I'm really dismayed by several bulging varicose veins on my legs. I've heard blue light therapy might be an easy fix. Is that true?
A. Like many things that sound too good to be true, an easy solution to varicose veins doesn't usually pan out. Blue light therapy — which aims blue or violet light through a pen-like device — is used to treat a variety of conditions on or just under the skin. These include sun damage, acne, and spider veins, which often appear as flat, thin, reddish lines.
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About the Author
![photo of Toni Golen, MD](https://d2icykjy7h7x7e.cloudfront.net/authors/haxYxpqrKxwVB1iiDOquBesixqPGXr5laTbW4CFG.jpg)
Toni Golen, MD, Editor in Chief, Harvard Women's Health Watch; Editorial Advisory Board Member, Harvard Health Publishing; Contributor
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