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According to the Office on Women’s Health, anywhere from 50% to 60% of women and 40% to 45% of men have spider veins. Spider veins are visible blood vessels that have suffered damage. They can be blue, red, or purple, appearing in clusters resembling tree branches or spider webs. Typically, they develop in your legs or face.
Although spider veins are not dangerous, many people choose to get rid of them for aesthetic reasons. Learn more about your treatment options and why combining them can be a good option.
What Are Spider Veins?
Spider veins are dysfunctional blood vessels located near the surface of the skin. They aren’t able to contract to push extra blood away. They are usually not dangerous and rarely cause any symptoms. Most people seek treatment for cosmetic reasons.
Spider veins form when small blood vessels weaken and expand. They can be a result of:
- Hormonal changes
- Injuries or trauma
- Genetic syndromes
- Connective tissue diseases
You are more at risk if you sit or stand for long periods, use hormonal birth control, are obese, or smoke. Other risk factors can include spending a lot of time in the sun and being on hormonal menopause therapy.
Although most people don’t experience any symptoms, some people’s legs feel tired after standing for a while. Itching may also be an issue.
Sclerotherapy and Spider Veins: Why Combining Treatments Can Help
Most sclerotherapy/spider vein treatments have one type of vein they are most effective for. Some treatments are better for smaller veins, while others target larger veins more effectively. For people who have more than one spider vein, choosing a variety of treatments can help you reduce the number of treatment sessions.
Because spider veins are not actually harmful to your body and blood still flows through them, your various systems don’t try to eliminate or absorb them. To help with spider veins, your vein specialist will consider a variety of treatments.
For smaller veins, sclerotherapy tends to be the best option. Sclerotherapy/spider veins treatments involve injecting a solution into the vein, leading it to collapse so that the body can absorb it.
There are also laser procedures that can target larger spider veins. Laser procedures are non-invasive options that work well for spider veins in delicate places like the face.
This option doesn’t require the use of a chemical but instead relies on heat from the laser that destroys the veins and makes them easier for your body to absorb. Smaller veins can disappear quickly, while larger ones can take one to three months.
Different treatments also allow you to get the personalized care you need. Your vein specialist can target each vein precisely while providing options that work best with your overall health or preferences. For example, if you want to stick with minimally invasive procedures, your specialist will try to avoid vein surgery.
You don’t have to worry about returning for many treatment sessions, either. When your vein specialist has different techniques and treatment options available to them, they can do more in one session. A multi-faceted approach to treatment also makes the chances of reoccurrence less likely.
For the majority of people, a combination of treatment options is the way to go. It provides your vein specialist maximum control so that you can get the aesthetic results you want.
Preparing for Your Sclerotherapy/Spider Veins Procedures
If you have spider veins, involving professionals who have experience with various treatment options is important. When you turn to us, we’ll schedule a consultation at our center to assess the veins so we can prepare a treatment plan that addresses your needs.
For the majority of our patients, we recommend sclerotherapy because of its effectiveness. It’s minimally invasive, but we’ll still need to know your medical history and whether you take any medications. We recommend you don’t take aspirin or any other blood thinners before the procedure.
We’ll inject a liquid into the vein using very fine needles during the session. This liquid will begin to irritate the vein’s lining, leading it to form a scar that closes off the vein.
Treating Your Spider Veins
If you’re tired of seeing spider veins on your legs, face, or any other location, there are treatment options that can target your needs. At Metropolitan Vein and Aesthetic Center, we offer services you can rely on. We’re ready to put together a customized treatment plan for you. Contact Metropolitan Vein and Aesthetic Center today.
