When veins have a spider web-like appearance, these superficial leg veins that cause red, blue, or purple discolorations are frequently called “spider veins.” In medicine, the term is called “telangiectasia. They can appear anywhere on the body, although they are usually found in the thighs, ankles, and calves. They can start to show up in your 20s and worsen as you age.

Most cases of spider veins are minor, painless, and innocuous, despite the possibility that some severe varieties represent a sign of vein disease. Most vein therapies are performed for aesthetic purposes. Any swelling, discomfort or pain associated with the veins should prompt you to see your doctor for follow-up.

What causes spider veins?

Blood is returned to the heart through veins with one-way valves that allow blood to flow only in one direction. The additional blood in veins weakens and protrudes vein walls with time, increasing their visibility. When the valves get leaky blood can flow backward and stretch the walls of the veins causing worsening valve failure and thus more leakage.

There are numerous causes of spider veins. They have been linked to extended periods of standing and sitting, which raise the venous pressure in the legs. Additionally, they are frequently linked to advancing age, pregnancy, sun exposure, hormonal changes that cause veins to enlarge, and prior wounds to the area. Additionally, heredity increases your chance of having spider veins.

Venous disorders are fairly prevalent. Spider veins are thought to affect 40 to 45 percent of men and 50 to 55 percent of women; this condition affects almost 50% of people over 50.

How are spider veins removed?

There are various ways to cure spider veins if you are bothered by their look or experience symptoms.

Sclerotherapy

The most frequent method of treating spider veins is Sclerotherapy or vein therapy, which can be in an office setting. A solution is injected into the veins, causing them to tighten and close. The spider veins “disappear” as blood is diverted to healthy veins and stops flowing through them, however as the body starts to absorb the vein, it mounts an inflammatory response and the veins look like cat scratches for a few to several days.  Within a few months, the collapsed vein is reabsorbed by your body. Multiple sessions of Sclerotherapy may be necessary for larger veins or situations that are more difficult to treat. The full effects can take three to four months to see.

There are various injection options available. The salt concentrate solution known as hypertonic saline is popular and highly efficient, and it is the least expensive choice and presents no allergy risk. However, saline solution injections into veins frequently result in a severe burning sensation, because of this pain, we do not use hypertonic saline at St. Louis Skin Solutions.

The other injectable solutions include Sotradecol and Polidocinal are two of the more modern solutions. The injections are much less painful than hypertonic saline.  They offer a more comfortable experience. They are FDA-approved and have been demonstrated to be equally effective as hypertonic saline.

It takes less than an hour to perform Sclerotherapy, and you can return to regular activities the same day. Like with any treatment involving injections, the injection site may experience minor bruising or skin discoloration, but these side effects should go away after a few weeks. Additionally, you might be told to wear compression bandages or stockings for around two weeks to keep the treated veins compressed, and treatment-responsive veins typically do not recur.

Laser Ablation

A laser can be used to treat spider veins as well. A laser beam will be pointed directly at the vein during the treatment. The beam will pass through the skin like a light going through a window and will target the red blood cells within the vessel. The vein is not damaged, and the body then mounts an inflammatory response and absorbs the vein. Small blood clots that form as a result of this block off and kill the spider veins without harming your skin. No cuts or needles are necessary for laser therapy, and Sclerotherapy is more frequently used. However, laser treatment may be more suited for smaller spider veins that cannot be effectively treated with injections.

Most patients can resume their regular activities that day. After vein therapy, smaller veins may vanish right away, while larger veins may darken and fade over the following few months. For larger or resistant spider veins, more laser treatments can be required.

Self-Care and Prevention

You can engage in various activities to preserve the effects of Sclerotherapy or laser treatment and stop the development of new spider veins. Regular activity, such as walking or running, improves circulation in the legs and keeps the veins’ valves operating normally and continuously.

Do not stand or sit for long periods (2+ hours) – Blood might pool up in your legs after prolonged sitting or standing since most of it is stored in the veins. Even a brief break to move around can help lower venous pressure and guard against valve damage.

Raise your legs above your heart during daily breaks to support your feet. This avoids too much blood pooling in the legs by using gravity to draw blood from the leg veins back to the heart.

Use compression stockings to improve the blood flow from your legs back to your heart. Compression stockings provide consistent pressure on your lower legs, and local pharmacies and medical supply shops carry them.

These precautions can help reduce your risk even if they can’t stop spider veins from developing.

Are you ready to eliminate your spider veins?

Contact us at St. Louis Skin Solutions, the top medspa in the St. Louis region, if you are uncomfortable with the way your spider veins look or if they are inflicting pain. We assess your skin, talk about your objectives, and create the best treatment plans and skincare routines for you to get fantastic results! Our board-certified doctors, nurse practitioners and registered nurses are in the ideal position to carry out the procedures safely.

We invite you to schedule a consultation so the staff can create the best treatment plan for you.