What are spider veins?
Spider veins are tiny, dilated blood vessels seen in the skin commonly found on the face and legs but also on other areas. These veins are located just below the surface of the skin and often appear red, blue or purple in color. Spider veins may result in itching and minor aches and pains but they are not a health hazard. They are mostly a cosmetic problem.

What causes spider veins?
Spider veins are formed when small surface veins dilate and become swollen with stagnant blood. Female hormones, whether naturally produced by the body or taken as replacement therapy, and the hormone changes which occur with pregnancy often stimulate spider veins to develop and grow. This is why women have spider vein problems about ten times more often than men.

How are spider veins treated?
Sclerotherapy and laser are the treatments of choice for spider veins. Sclerotherapy uses a solution injected into the veins and laser uses light energy, either of which causes the the veins to shrink so that they will look smaller or even disappear. Leg vein often respond best to sclerotherapy.  Face veins often respond best to laser.  Sometimes a combination works best.

How long does it take to look better?
The treated areas may look worse at first.  The vein may look darker in color with some bruising for several days following treatment. Small amounts of blood may become trapped in the veins as they close down and leave dark spots or lines for a few weeks. Laser often makes spider veins look like red lines that are scratch-like in appearance.  It may take a few weeks to see the full affect of a given treatment session. Sometimes one treatment session will be enough, but most patients will need three to five treatment sessions and some patients will need more. It is not usually possible to eliminate 100% of spider veins no matter how many treatments are performed.  A 70 to 90% overall improvement is typical.

How long is each appointment?
Each treatment session is usually about 30 minutes. We can usually treat all major areas during each session. Having performed thousands of injections and treatments, we have the skill to efficiently cover more area in less time. Sessions are normally scheduled about 4-6 weeks apart.

Basic information about spider vein treatments.
All leg vein patients are encouraged to walk a great deal in the days following each treatment. This helps to circulate blood through the deeper, healthier veins. Support stockings may be recommended for a few days after each treatment to assist in healing. All spider vein patients can return immediately to work and a normal routine including light exercise. Face vein patients may apply makeup immediately. Very aggressive exercise, suntanning, hot tub and sauna use may need to be limited for about a week.