Spider Vein Treatment

What are spider veins?

Spider veins, also called telangiectasias, or even broken capillaries, are red, blue, or purple blood vessels near the surface of your skin. These are most commonly seen on the face or legs, but they can show up anywhere on the body. They’re called spider veins because they create lines that look like the tiny strands of a spider web.

Spider veins can develop anywhere, but most patients want treatment when they see them over the face or legs. Genetics, overexposure to the sun, rosacea, and underlying issues such as venous reflux all contribute to developing spider veins.

Venous reflux is a vascular problem that affects circulation through the veins in the legs due to damaged valves. The blood, which is normally kept moving back towards the heart because of the valves, falls back down the leg causing all vessels connected to that vein to enlarge and become more visible over time.

This is especially likely if your spider veins are around the inside of the knee or ankle. You may consider your spider veins a cosmetic issue, but most often, they’re not something you should ignore because they are often a sign of a deeper issue.

The team at Colorado Skin and Vein has more than 20 years of experience treating spider veins and their root causes. 

What is spider vein treatment?

Proper spider vein treatment requires a multi-treatment approach. Initial treatment depends on location. For facial veins, light-based treatments work best. For veins over the lower body, an ultrasound is necessary to determine the exact cause and, therefore, the more effective treatment.

For vessels on the face, topical sunscreens and antioxidants work best to keep them away. Compression, exercise, and proper treatment of the root cause are your best defense for veins on the legs. 

These lifestyle changes may prevent your spider veins from getting worse, but they won’t make them go away.

What are the types of spider vein treatment?

Colorado Skin and Vein has access to every tool necessary to treat spider veins so that you get the best results. Types of spider vein treatments include:

Sclerotherapy

Sclerotherapy treatment involves the injection of medication into the spider veins. The medication irritates the walls of the veins, causing them to collapse and disappear over time. Sclerotherapy is best for veins over 0.5mm on the body.

Pulsed dye laser (PDL)

The PDL uses pulses of light that target the proteins in the vein, causing them to coagulate and stopping the flow of blood. This treatment is most effective for very fine thread veins less than 0.5mm anywhere on the body.

Nd:YAG laser

The Nd:YAG laser is a vascular laser that targets deeper spider veins. The laser heats the vessel, irritating the venous walls so that they collapse and close. This is the treatment of choice for larger blue or green vessels around the temples or forehead.

What happens after spider vein treatment?

Each treatment above last anywhere from 15 to 30 minutes. Despite what might happen at other offices, these treatments are not painful. Your Colorado Skin and Vein provider will review the specifics of your spider vein treatment plan and post-care instructions.

After sclerotherapy, you may benefit from wearing compression stockings to support circulation and healing. You may also need more than one treatment to get the best results. 

To learn more about spider vein treatment, call Colorado Skin and Vein or book an appointment online today.