Sclerotherapy
Sclerotherapy is the gold standard treatment for spider veins. It involves injecting an irritant directly into the affected vein causing the walls to close and stopping blood flow. This may sound scary, but spider veins are superficial veins that serve no purpose to the circulatory system!
What Are Spider Veins?
Spider veins are small blue, purple, or red veins that can appear on the legs or face. They can occur in a variety of patterns ranging from individual thin lines to complicated branching trees. Spider veins most commonly occur on the legs when valves in the deeper veins stop working properly. This leads to pooling of blood in the superficial veins and the appearance of spider veins. These veins can occur on the face when tiny blood vessels burst due to increased pressure of sun damage. They are not painful or harmful, but most people want them treatment for aesthetic reasons.
What Is The Difference Between Spider Veins and Varicose Veins?
Spider veins and varicose veins can both come from weakened or damaged valves in the veins of the legs. Despite their similar cause, there are a LOT of differences between spider and varicose veins.
Spider veins are typically small blue, purple, or red veins. They are usually flat and painless. There are several treatment options, including sclerotherapy which all focus on cosmetic improvement as these veins do NOT indicate a deeper medical problem.
Varicose veins are typically bigger red veins. They come from deeper inside the leg and often appear lumpy, twisted, and bulged from the skin. They can often cause pain, itching, swelling, and achy or heavy feeling in the legs. This type of vein often indicates an underlying medical problem and is most properly addressed by a vein specialist.
How Long Is A Treatment?
The procedure takes approximately 30-60 minutes. Several treatments may be required to get complete results, depending upon the amount and severity of the spider veins.
What Can I Expect After Treatment?
Over time, the spider vein fades or vanishes. Depending on the severity of the spider veins, a person may require several treatments before they are happy with the results. After treatment it is recommended you wear compression stocking for several weeks to maximize results. Full results can be seen in about 6 weeks.
