What Are Spider Veins?   

Spider veins appear near the surface of the skin, are blue or red in color, and look similar to a spider web or tree roots.  For the most part, spider veins form on thighs and calves, but can also appear on the face.  Unlike varicose veins, which are dark purple or blue and appear swollen and raised, spider veins are usually not associated with serious vein disorders, and are not an essential part of the venous system.  The bad news is that more than 60% of adult women have spider veins.  The good news; they are painless and easily treated.

How Do Spider Veins Develop?

There are number of different factors that can contribute to the development of spider veins.  In women, hormonal shifts like puberty and menopause heighten the possibility of spider veins, as does pregnancy, although such veins that occur during pregnancy often vanish during the months after birth.  Other factors include weight gain, prolonged sitting or standing, aging, or a leg injury, and, of course, there is always heredity.  Though spider veins occur in men, it is with much less frequency.

Spider Vein Treatment (Sclerotherapy)

If you think you have spider veins and are seeking treatment, your first step should be to visit your doctor to make sure they are not varicose veins and can be treated effectively.  During your initial consultation, your doctor will examine your legs for vein problems, map out a treatment strategy, discuss your expectations, and go over specific treatment opportunities.  Usually the appearance of unsightly veins can be diminished or negated through the use of sclerotherapy, a solution injected into the targeted area of skin.

During sclerotherapy treatment no anesthetic is used and pain is experienced in the form of pricking from the needle and slight sensation from the injected solution, though this is variable depending on the particular solution used.  The treatment takes between fifteen minutes and an hour, depending on the amount of treatment needed, and, often, more than one session is necessary for optimal results.

Technology

There are many different types of solutions to choose from.  After reviewing your medical history, medications, and allergies, your doctor will decide which is right for you.

Recovery / Post Op Expectations

The day of treatment you should arrive at your doctor's office or clinic in comfortable clothing that exposes the area that is to be treated; shorts for example.  You should bring long pants and physician prescribed compression socks with you.  After treatment you will experience some bruising and increased discoloration: treated areas will get worse before they get better.  Cotton balls will be taped to the area of injection and are usually worn for two days following the procedure, and compression socks or support hose are typically worn a day or two longer.

Bruises and color splotches can remain for one month, and in some cases up to a year.

Complications

Complications are rare, but can include irritation due to an allergic reaction, the appearance of new veins around treated areas, and blood clots.

Am I A Candidate

Typically, patients are women between the age of thirty and sixty, though women as young as eighteen and men get sclerotherapy performed, but in much smaller numbers.  Sclerotherapy is not right for everyone.  Health factors, medication, and age related issues could sometimes complicate the effects of the procedure.

Cost

The national average for sclerotherapy was $323 in 2003 according to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS).