Blue Spider Veins Treated in Our Office
When it comes to cosmetic preferences concerning the skin, veins have a way of interfering with best-laid plans from time to time. While veins play an important role beneath the surface of the skin, moving blood between the heart and the rest of the body, when issues arise, they can quite quickly become visible at the surface.
In some cases, venous insufficiencies can be the cause of more severe health issues that need to be addressed. This is particularly true when varicose veins develop. Varicose veins often present as bulging veins just below the surface that are often purple or red in color and come with accompanying symptoms such as painful swelling or discoloration. Many physicians point to faulty valves within the veins as the reason for the development of varicose veins. While valves generally work to ensure blood flows through the veins in the right direction back to the heart, a malfunction allows blood to flow opposite and pool within the extremities. This pooling causes a pressure buildup within the vein walls that can eventually lead to swelling and other complications.
The Development and Potential Causes of Spider Veins
Varicose veins are frequently the result of a venous insufficiency, but spider veins can quickly become a result of varicose veins. As blood within the problematic vein looks for a new and healthier route back to the heart, it may branch off closer to the surface and present as spider veins. These veins are generally non-symptomatic but can develop in shades of red, purple, or blue and often web across the skin. Spider veins can appear anywhere on the body but tend to show up across the legs, arms and face the vast majority of the time. While spider veins don’t often come with any pain or swelling, many individuals that suffer from this condition are unhappy with their sudden appearance and how it fits into aesthetic goals. While the development of spider veins is frequently linked to underlying varicose veins, they are also linked to age, significant weight changes, hormonal fluctuations that might occur during pregnancy or menopause, past trauma as well as excessive sun exposure over time.
In-Clinic Treatment Options
Significant advancements in cosmetic technology mean that individuals suffering from spider veins today have a variety of in-clinic options to choose from. Spider veins are no longer a condition that must simply be endured but can be diminished or perhaps even eliminated entirely using techniques that are designed to be both minimally invasive as well as highly effective. For minimal cases of spider veins, or for those patients looking to take preventative measures to avoid the development of spider veins, a physician may recommend the use of compression garments.
Available as both sleeves and stockings, these garments are specially designed to improve overall blood flow and discourage spider veins from developing by keeping blood moving swiftly between limbs and the heart. Compression garments are available as both over-the-counter purchases as well as prescriptions and would be useful in treating spider veins along the legs and arms.
Sclerotherapy for Spider Veins
For more severe cases of spider veins, or to treat those in more sensitive areas across the face, Sclerotherapy has proven to be a highly successful and safe spider vein treatment that comes with the added benefit of a quick recovery time. This procedure can be performed in the comfort of the attending physician’s office over the course of a single afternoon and uses nothing more than local anesthetic to make the service comfortable for the patient. Once the treatment area is sufficiently numb, the physician will inject a foam or liquid sclerosant directly into the problematic vein. This injection irritates the spider veins to the point of collapse and closure. Eventually, the veins are naturally reabsorbed into the body leaving skin clear and smooth. While liquid sclerosant is very effective, more physicians are turning towards foam options as this tends to bind more securely to the interior of the vein, avoiding any interference with surrounding blood flow.
Similar to Sclerotherapy, some physicians may recommend Endovenous Laser Therapy for patients looking to treat small spider veins near the surface of the skin. This procedure involves the use of a local anesthetic to numb the treatment site before a small probe is inserted through a minimal incision point. The probe allows the physician to target the problematic veins using precision laser energy to both collapse and close the vein.
Contact Dr. Wright and His Team Today
When you find yourself considering the many benefits of spider vein treatment, or are simply looking to establish care for overall vein health, be sure to contact Dr. Wright and his team at the St. Louis Laser Vein Center. With years of experience to offer and a comprehensive approach to patient care waiting to be enjoyed, patients will find their time with our clinic to be safe, comfortable, and always customized to your needs. Reach out to us today to learn more!
