Veins act as a one-way channel to return blood flow to the heart but if the vein becomes damaged and may disrupt blood flow. The build-up of blood can create a spider vein. Spider veins appear on the surface of your skin as red, blue, or purplish webs, hence the name spider veins.
Causes
Over time, pressure on your veins can cause them to become weak, stretched out, and function improperly leading to the development of spider veins.
Several factors can increase a person’s chance of developing spider
veins including age, heredity, hormonal changes, pregnancy, obesity, sedentary
lifestyle, and sun exposure.
Symptoms
Though often cosmetic, spider veins can create the following symptoms such as:
- Burning
- Discomfort after long periods of standing or sitting
- Itching
- Numbness
- Pain
If left untreated or unexamined, symptoms may worsen and develop into a varicose vein which can impact your health.
Treatment
The most popular treatment option for spider veins is sclerotherapy. This treatment involves injecting a specialized solution into the problem vein. This solution then irritates the vein and causes it to scar and rupture. The vein closes, causing the blood to reroute through healthier veins.
Sclerotherapy can be an outpatient procedure that does not require any downtime or anesthesia. The number of treatment sessions required will depend on your condition, during your initial consultation we discuss how many sessions you will need to achieve your desired results. For larger vein clusters, we may recommend 4 sessions, while mild spider veins can disappear with fewer sessions.
Can You Prevent Spider Veins?
You can reduce your risk of developing spider and varicose veins by maintaining a healthy weight with regular exercise and a balanced diet, wearing compression stockings, elevating your legs when possible to assist blood flow.