What Are Spider Veins?
Spider veins, also known as telangiectasias, are widened venules (small veins) that cause the appearance of red, spiderweb-like marks on the skin. In general, they are asymptomatic but may be associated with skin irritation and pain. On rare occasions, they may bleed.
Spider veins are most commonly found on the feet, ankles, thighs, and face but can occur anywhere on the body. Risk factors for spider veins include older age since the blood vessels tend to weaken over time; being pregnant, which puts additional pressure on the veins; and alcohol consumption, which can cause vasodilation. The causes of spider veins are somewhat unclear but are thought to involve genetic and hormonal factors.
Although spider veins are generally not associated with pain or any other symptoms, they may cause psychological and social problems due to their appearance. Luckily, there are a number of effective treatment options available for the removal of cutaneous spider veins.
There are several treatment methods available, including cutaneous laser treatment, sclerotherapy, and Veinwave. The last two methods in particular have been proven to be highly efficient and very popular.
Sclerotherapy
Sclerotherapy, which is also used for the treatment of varicose veins and other vein conditions, has been successfully used for decades for the treatment of spider veins and has truly stood the test of time. It is a minimally invasive procedure in which a sclerosing solution is injected into the affected veins through a fine needle. This results in irritation of the blood vessel walls, shrinking of the veins, and clotting of the blood. This causes the veins to break down and gradually fade away.
The procedure is relatively fast (it only takes about 15-30 minutes) and is generally painless. You may experience some mild discomfort during the procedure, but this usually only lasts for a minute or two, and side effects or adverse events afterward are rare and mild.
Veinwave
A second highly popular spider veins treatment is the Veinwave procedure. Veinwave is based on the use of microwave energy and is especially useful for areas that are otherwise hard to treat, such as the face and ankles.
Similar to sclerotherapy, Veinwave is minimally invasive and is performed using an ultra-fine insulated needle. The amount of discomfort is similar to sclerotherapy, and there is no risk of scarring. The results are usually immediate, and aside from some mild redness in the treated area, no signs of the procedure or of the treated vein are visible.
Finding a Vein Specialist
Of course, not all treatments are right for everyone, so you should always discuss with a vein care specialist which treatment is right for you.
