Vein Care Spider Veins

Perhaps you noticed them on your grandmother when you were growing up, but you never thought they’d appear on your legs. You may have thought that you had a slight bruise at first, until it never actually went away and more “bruising” appeared. They are sometimes referred to as “broken veins.” If you look very closely, these small veins have many strands, and can be blue or even red in color. If this describes what you are seeing then you are one of many Americans who have spider veins. These dilated capillaries, visible on your skin, occur in both women and men, people in occupations that require a lot of standing throughout the day.

Spider veins are dilated blood capillaries that are visible underneath the surface of the skin. They can have the appearance of individual lines, or branch out in clusters that come across with a bruise appearance effect. Other factors that can cause spider veins are hormones, weight gain, heredity and sitting or standing for long periods of time. While spider veins can be uncomfortable, they are mostly visibly annoying, and can make you feel self-conscious when wearing garments that expose your legs. You are not alone!

The good news is that spider veins are primarily a cosmetic issue, and will cause only minor discomfort if any. Even so, you may be unhappy with what they have done to the way your legs look. Their appearance can replace your formerly smooth skin with blue, red or purple splotches that resemble spider legs or little road maps. This is where cosmetic sclerotherapy comes in.

Cosmetic sclerotherapy can remove these problematic veins during an in-office procedure. Under magnification or a special vein light, a solution is injected into the veins using a very small needle. This FDA approved solution safely fills the space in the vein, causing the vein wall to become irritated and collapse. The treated vein then eventually closes itself off and disappears from the skin’s surface. Approximately four to six weeks following a series of treatments, you will see changes with many if not all of the veins resolving. The sclerotherapy treatment is very effective but it is not “magic.” In other words, it is not uncommon to need additional “touch-up” injections to get full, desired cosmetic result.

If these symptoms sound familiar and you suspect that you may be suffering from spider veins, call our office today and schedule an appointment with one of our physicians. At Carolina Vein Care & Aesthetics, our board-certified vascular specialists use advanced techniques to treat your veins!