Surgery involves considerable preparation, general anesthesia, the risk of infection, pain in the affected areas, and a lengthy recovery period. The medical laser technology used at the LUMEN Laser Center is an outpatient based procedure with little to no recovery time, virtually no pain and with better effectiveness than surgery.

Simply put, a laser is a highly concentrated beam of light. Medical lasers work by delivering this light energy to the targeted tissue with extreme precision so as not to affect the surrounding tissue. They've proven their safety and effectiveness through years of use in all kinds of medical procedures, from ophthalmology to dermatology. In the hands of a skilled physician, lasers offer far less risk and complications than conventional surgery.

Your veins carry blood from the capillaries to the heart. In your leg, this means the blood has to flow upward, against gravity. Consequently, these veins have one-way valves to prevent the blood from backflowing. Over time these valves can fail to close tightly, allowing blood to pool and causing the bulging and twisting characteristic of varicose veins.

Endovenous laser ablation fixes this problem at the source by delivering just the right wavelength of laser energy to just the right tissue, causing the incompetent vein to close. Your body automatically routes the blood to other healthy veins.

It takes about 45 minutes and requires just local anesthesia. Your physician then inserts a thin laser fiber into the vein through a sheath and the laser light is emitted through the fiber. While you might feel some unfamiliar sensation, it is not painful. And it's all done in the office setting.

Simply avoid taking any food two hours before the procedure, and also stop all anti-inflammatory medications such as Ibuprofen/Motrin for 3 days before the procedure..

There may be some slight swelling right after the procedure, but you could start seeing results immediately.

Endovenous laser ablation has proved to be 97% effective-an outstanding record of success. Therefore, you should experience no reoccurrence in the veins that have been treated. Follow-up procedures may be desired to obtain optimal aesthetic results.

Dr. Andrew Kwak performs all of the laser vein ablation procedures.

For the best results, you should choose a physician who has significant experience in endovascular techniques such as endovenous laser ablation. Some physicians, who although might have adequate surgical training, do not have extensive experience in minimally invasive catheter-based interventional techniques. Endovenous laser ablation is a technique that was pioneered in the field of interventional radiology.

Dr. Andrew Kwak, Medical Director of the LUMEN Laser Center, is uniquely qualified because he is a nationally recognized interventional radiologist who has performed thousands of vascular procedures at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania. With a faculty appointment in Penn's School of Medicine, Dr. Kwak is a leader in the treatment of vein disease and is one of the first physicians in the region to employ this groundbreaking laser technology, establishing and directing Penn's first laser vein treatment program.

INSURANCE COVERAGE INFORMATION

The laser procedure for larger varicose veins, that replaces vein stripping, is called Endovenous Laser Ablation, or EVLA, and is coverable by most insurance companies. We are pleased to inform you that Dr. Andrew Kwak and the LUMEN Laser Center participate with the following insurance companies for this procedure:

 

Aetna HMO/PPO/POS

Personal Choice

Independence Blue Cross

Keystone Health Plan East

AmeriHealth

Medicare

United Healthcare

CIGNA

Bravo Health

 *If your insurance company is not listed, please ask us for more information, as we have experience in working with many companies. We can work with your company on an out-of-network basis as well.

Cosmetic procedures as a whole are typically not covered by most insurance plans.

 

1. CASH OR CHECK
   If you prefer to pay by cash or check, payment in full is due prior to all procedures. We accept personal and certified checks, but not business checks.
   
   
2. CREDIT CARDS
   We accept all major credit cards including:
1. Visa
2. MasterCard
3. American Express
4. Discover
   
   
3. AFFORDABLE PAYMENT PLANS
   Cosmetic enhancement procedures are an excellent investment in an individual's well being and should be available to all people regardless of individual finances. Because of this, the LUMEN Laser Center has partnered with CareCredit to allow for both flexible and affordable payment plans. These plans are specifically geared towards the cosmetic customer and offer some of the best financial terms available.
   
   

   As a service to our patients, we are pleased to offer the CareCredit card, the nation's leading patient payment program. With CareCredit you can finance 100% of your cosmetic surgery and there are no upfront costs, no annual fees, and no pre-payment penalties. So, you can schedule your procedure today at our Bryn Mawr, PA, medical office and conveniently pay with low, monthly payments. It typically takes only 2 minutes for the approval process.

   CareCredit offers a full range of payment plans so you can find one that works best for you.

    

   No Interest Payment Plans 6 & 12 month plan options* No interest if the balance is paid within the specified time period Low minimum monthly payments *Monthly plans offered are subject to change

   Extended Payment Plans 24, 36, 48 & 60 month plan options* For treatment fees from $1,000 to over $25,000 Interest rate as of April 2012 is 14.9% interest (this rate may change, ask for current rates) Monthly payments as low as $76 on a $3,000 procedure fee *Monthly plans offered are subject to change

   With CareCredit, you pay no application fees, no annual fees, and no pre-payment penalties. Plus, CareCredit is a revolving credit line for repeat procedures, without the need to re-apply. It only takes a few minutes to apply for CareCredit and you may receive an online decision in seconds! Apply now or see our staff, or call us for more details.