There is a few options for spider vein removal. Spider veins is thin red lines or web like networks of blood vessels that appear on your legs and feet.
Spider veins are usually inoffensive, although they can be aching, burning or paining, especially when you’ve been standing for a long period of time.
If you have symptoms and signs or are concerned about the appearance of spider veins, spider vein removal options include:
- In this spider vein removal method, your doctor will inject the veins with a solution that scars and closes those veins, this will cause the blood to reroute through healthier veins. In a few weeks, treated spider veins will fade. Although the same spider vein may need to be injected more than once, sclerotherapy is one of the most effective spider vein removal methods if done correctly.
Sclerotherapy doesn’t require anaesthesia and can be done in your doctor’s office. Side effects of sclerotherapy include swelling, itching and skin colour changes in the treated area.
- Laser surgery. Laser surgery works by sending strong bursts of light into the vein that make the vein slowly fade and disappear. No incisions or needles are used.
The spider vein removal is often less effective than sclerotherapy, specifically for larger veins. Side effects of this spider vein removal method may include redness, bruising, itching, swelling and permanent skin tone changes.
After the spider vein removal, blood vessels fade over several months, but they may not disappear completely. Also, new spider veins can develop in the same area.
Spider veins are caused by amplified pressure in the veins. Doctors don’t know exactly why some people develop spider veins and others don’t, but they do know that the tendency to get the spider veins is hereditary, and that they’re more common as you get older. It’s also known that people who stand for a long time, such as nurses and teachers, tend to increase the amount of pressure in the veins of the legs and are more likely to develop spider veins.
In addition to the appearance of a patchwork of red and blue veins that you can see through the skin, people with spider veins may also experience:
- Swelling in the legs
- A feeling of heaviness in the legs
- Tiredness in the legs