Contrary to what many physicians are taught, spider veins can cause the same symptoms as much larger varicose veins including itching, burning, heaviness and fatigue in the legs. Although spider veins may not affect your health,
eliminating them will definitely enhance the overall beauty of your legs.
Iowa Vein Center is here to answer all your questions about spider veins and offer the latest treatment methods to have you looking and feeling your best.
The physicians of Iowa Vein Center address the typical questions patients ask most often about spider veins.
What are spider veins?
Spider veins are abnormally dilated blood vessels in the skin. They usually appear on the legs but can also occur on the face and less commonly the chest, arms and back. In rare cases they can bleed after being injured, but otherwise they are treated mostly as a cosmetic problem.
What causes spider veins?
Spider veins develop in two ways. First, tiny pre-existing veins can enlarge and become dilated over time. Secondly, your body actually grows new veins where it doesn’t need them — in the skin. Pregnancy, hormone-containing medications, and hormonal fluctuations may stimulate their appearance. The tendency to develop abnormal veins is largely hereditary, and there is not much you can do to prevent them. Support hose, exercise and dietary supplements are helpful for symptoms, but the veins keep growing. In some cases, the appearance of spider veins may be an indication that there are larger diseased veins underneath. The physician may use ultrasound and/or doppler testing to search for any larger diseased veins that may be causing your spider veins. If larger diseased veins are found, they need to be treated first and eliminated or else spider vein treatment will be ineffective.
How Are Spider Veins Treated?
Treatment of spider veins tend to be relatively painless and take as little as 20 to 30 minutes. The tiniest spider veins may disappear quickly. Larger veins require a few weeks to improve in appearance. No treatment can eliminate 100% of all spider veins. Normal healing can take several weeks, so your treatment sessions will be separated by at least 3-4 weeks to allow for healing to occur. State-of-the-art spider treatments being performed at the Iowa Vein Center include:
Sclerotherapy
Foam Sclerotherapy
Ellman Radiowave Surgitron
Varilite Laser® |
