Spider Veins
I. Definition:
Spider veins are small red blood vessels usually found on the legs near the skin surface, branching out from larger veins. Spider veins and varicose veins can cause embarrassment, especially when wearing shorts and bathing suits. These reddish-purple lines on your legs are not unhealthy. The veins are not “broken” but are actually dilated. We can obliterate these veins with the injection of a sclerosing solution. This procedure is known as sclerotherapy. There are several different sclerosing solutions available including saline (salt water) and aethoxysclerol which are among the safest and most popular. Spider veins are not needed for your circulation. They are actually unnecessary detours that can safely be destroyed. Depending on its size, the blood vessel may need to be injected more than once (usually one month between treatments). Numerous vessels can be treated in one session. In general, spider vein treatment is not covered by insurance.
II. Causes:
III. Treatment:
Spider veins are small red blood vessels usually found on the legs near the skin surface, branching out from larger veins. Spider veins and varicose veins can cause embarrassment, especially when wearing shorts and bathing suits. These reddish-purple lines on your legs are not unhealthy. The veins are not “broken” but are actually dilated. We can obliterate these veins with the injection of a sclerosing solution. This procedure is known as sclerotherapy. There are several different sclerosing solutions available including saline (salt water) and aethoxysclerol which are among the safest and most popular. Spider veins are not needed for your circulation. They are actually unnecessary detours that can safely be destroyed. Depending on its size, the blood vessel may need to be injected more than once (usually one month between treatments). Numerous vessels can be treated in one session. In general, spider vein treatment is not covered by insurance.
II. Causes:
- Spider veins tend to run in families.
- Being overweight and child bearing tend to worsen spider veins.
- Spider veins are more common in women and become more numerous with age.
- The reason these veins stretch is not known.
- Trauma to an area can cause spider veins to form.
- There is no reliable means of prevention.
III. Treatment:
- Spider veins are harmless. The only reason for treatment is strictly cosmetic.
- Sclerotherapy is one of the most successful therapies available for removing spider veins.
- Sclerotherapy involves injecting a solution through a very tiny needle into the veins. This causes irritation and inflammation inside the vessel and leads to closure of the vessel. With no blood flowing, the veins become invisible and are replaced by scar tissue. The veins fade in 2 to 3 weeks.
- The treatment of spider veins does not prevent new ones from forming. It often takes several sessions to treat all of the spider veins (usually 3 to 5 sessions). We inject most of the veins in one or two sessions, but only one third to one half of the injected veins actually disappear each session. Usually three sessions are needed to get things started. After these first few sessions, you will require further sessions every 6 to 12 months to treat the new spider veins which form, depending on how quickly you develop new ones.
- Laser therapy can be used to treat the very tiny thread-like veins that may remain after sclerotherapy. Laser therapy can be the first treatment if your veins are very small.
- If you have large varicose veins and spider veins, it is necessary to treat the varicose veins first; this sometimes requires surgery. If there are large veins or extensive varicose veins, you may need an evaluation by a vascular surgeon.