Spider veins—those highly visible red and blue webs of veins appearing on the legs—can rob you of your confidence to wear the fashions you want and force you to cover up when you’d rather be in the spotlight. Fortunately, there are simple, effective treatment options for this condition that can erase those veins forever and restore your confidence.
What Are Spider Veins?
As many as 60 percent of adults have spider veins, which are patches of tiny broken capillaries near the surface of the skin. They usually appear on the thighs, calves, and ankles. Spider veins develop when the valves that control blood flow break down, trapping tiny amounts of blood in vein clusters that appear blue, red, or purple.
What Causes Spider Veins?
The following are the most common reasons for spider veins to develop:
- Family history
- Obesity
- Weight fluctuations
- Pregnancy
- Jobs that require prolonged standing
- Hormonal imbalances
What Are the Treatment Options?
Sclerotherapy is the most common, effective treatment for spider veins. Your doctor will inject a solution into the affected veins that will make them collapse and fade over time.
Laser therapy is another treatment option that uses light to destroy spider veins. You and your doctor will discuss which treatment option is right for you based on your unique case.
What Is the Treatment Process?
With sclerotherapy, your doctor will inject a solution into each vein. The solution irritates the vein, causing it to break down and fade. You may need several injections depending on how many spider veins you have.
Laser therapy directs intense light on spider veins, destroying them instantly. You may need more than one laser session to realize optimal results.
What Is the Recovery Process?
If you opt for sclerotherapy, your doctor will advise you to do the following:
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- Wear compression stockings for three to six weeks to promote healing
- Avoid heavy lifting, running, and squatting
- Avoid standing or sitting for prolonged periods of time
- Take frequent walks
After sclerotherapy, the treated areas will be bruised but will gradually fade. You might also notice brown discoloration at the treatment site, but this will also fade. Bruising usually fades at the one-month mark with complete results visible at two months.
Immediately after laser treatment, you can expect the treated area to have a red, scratched appearance for a couple of days. After that, you’ll notice the veins turning from dark blue to light red and then fade completely over the course of a few weeks. After the healing process is complete, you and your doctor can decide if more laser treatments are necessary.
Who Makes a Good Candidate for Spider Vein Treatment?
You could benefit from spider vein treatment if:
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- Living with spider veins makes you uncomfortable or less confident
- You have a good understanding of the procedure and have realistic expectations of the outcome
- You’re committed to following the course of treatment for the healing process
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How Can I Avoid Getting Spider Veins?
You can’t completely avoid getting spider veins. However, there are things you can do to reduce your chances of developing them. These include:
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- Maintaining a proper weight
- Walking regularly
- Following a low sodium diet if you notice leg swelling
- Elevating your legs with pillows or in a recliner so that they are at or above heart level
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If you’d like to learn more about spider vein removal, make an appointment today with one of the highly skilled dermatologists of the Rendon Center in Boca Raton. Our team specializes in spider vein removal in addition to clinical and cosmetic dermatology procedures.
