Spider Veins Treatments

WAYS OF GETTING RID OF SPIDER VEINS

This article gives you an idea of the spider veins treatments available. However, you should see a doctor about your condition. The information here should be taken as medical advice.

The doctor will give you a physical examination, take some x-rays or ultrasound pictures to help determine the cause the problem and severity of it.

You may want to consider talking to a doctor who specializes in vein diseases or phlebology. He will be able to discuss with you the treatment options that are best for your condition and lifestyle. Not all cases of varicose veins are the same.

SPIDER VEINSTREATMENT #1
SCLEROTHERAPY
It is very common to use sclerotherapy as a spider veins treatment. The procedure is rather simple.

The enlarged veins are injected with sclerosing solutions. This causes the veins to collapse and gradually disappear. The treatment also brings relief to symptoms such as burning, aching, night cramps and swelling which are commonly associated with spider veins.

Using mild sclerosing agents, suitable for small veins help to make sclerotherapy an effective spider veins treatment.

Before you embark on sclerotherapy as your spider veins treatment, find out more about the whole procedure as having an understanding would be helpful.
,br> Always consult your doctor and ask questions if you do not understand any part of the procedure.

IS SCLEROTHERAPY FOR EVERYBODY?
Anybody can opt for sclerotherapy as a spider veins treatment. This is regardless of age or sex.

However, if you are confirmed pregnant or suspect that you may be pregnant or breastfeeding, you should consider postponing sclerotherapy treatment.

If your spider veins surface during pregnancy, they will disappear on their own within three months after the baby is born. Besides it is not known how sclerosing solutions may affect breast milk, nursing mothers are usually advised to wait until after they have stopped breastfeeding.

WHAT CAN SCLEROTHERAPY DO?
It enhances your appearance and it boosts your self confidence. However it is unrealistic to expect that every enlarged vein will disappear completely as a result of treatment.

After each sclerotherapy session, the veins will appear lighter. Two or more repeat sessions are usually required to achieve optimal results.

The procedure is effective in treating veins that are currently visible. It does not permanently heal the venous system nor does it prevent new spider veins from appearing in the future.

Careful considerations after consultations with your doctors should be done before you make any decision to proceed with sclerotherapy.

SPIDER VEINS TREATMENT RELATED RISKS
It is extremely rare for medical complications to arise from sclerotherapy. Be sure to choose a qualified practitioner. Still any medical procedures have its risks:

Possible side effects include:

Blood clots forming inside the veins
Lumps of coagulated blood can be drained.
Severe inflammation of the treated vein
Applying heat and taking aspirin or antibiotics can provide relief.
Negative allergic reactions due to the drugs in the sclerosing agent.
Injury to the skin that could possibly leave small permanent scar
Pigmentation irregularity
These are brownish lines or splotches on the skin around the treated veins. They may take months or even a year to fade
Telangiectatic matting
Fine reddish blood vessels appear around the treated area. Further injections are required to treat these.
Temporary stinging or painful cramps where the injection was made
Temporary red raised patches of skin where the injection was made
Temporary small skin sores where the injection was made
Temporary bruises where the injection was made

Your choice of a doctor is very important. Using one who is adequately trained in sclerotherapy will help to reduce the risks associated with it. The doctor should have good knowledge of the different types of sclerosing agents available. He should be able to select the most appropriate sclerosing solution that is suitable for you.

PLANNING YOUR SPIDER VEINS TREATMENT
At your first consultation, the doctor will examine your legs. He will probably sketch and map out areas of your leg that have spider veins and any other problems.

He will also to examine you and check if there are any serious vein problems. Symptoms include sores, swelling or changes to the skin around the ankle. Hand-held ultrasound devices may be used to check for backflow of blood within the body.

Depending on the problems identified, your doctor may proceed with treatment or require another specialist to examine you. Before the surface veins can be treated successfully, any problems with the deeper or larger veins must be addressed first.

Your doctor will need to know if you have other problems with your legs. You should share with him if you have problems such as pain, aching, itching or tenderness.

Be open about your medical history, the medications that you currently take, or any other medical conditions that might have. This is extremely important. Treatment is not advised for patients with any of the following conditions:

Hepatitis
AIDS
Blood-borne diseases
Circulatory problems
Heart conditions
Diabetes

Your doctor should explain the procedure in detail, along with its risks and benefits, the recovery period and the costs. Don't hesitate to ask any questions or express any concerns you may have. Check if your medical insurance covers such procedures.

PREPARING YOURSELF FOR THE SPIDER VEINS TREATMENT
The doctor will give you specific instructions the preparation required before you begin your treatment.

On the day of your spider veins treatment, do not apply any moisturizer, sunscreen or any oil on your legs.
Bring along your shorts as you would need to wear them for the injections.
Bring along a change of elastic support hose which has been prescribed by your physician, and slacks for wearing home.
After the treatment, you may find your legs bruised or discolored. This will not go away for some weeks, so do not worry. You would probably want to avoid shorts, swimsuits or mini skirts for a while until the bruises have cleared up.

Following the instructions given carefully before going for the spider veins treatment will help it to proceed more smoothly.

WHERE WILL YOUR SPIDER VEINS TREATMENT BE CARRIED OUT?
As this is pretty simple procedure, sclerotherapy does not require any anesthesia nor does it require hospitalization. It can be carried out in an outpatient clinic.

THE SPIDER VEINS TREATMENT
The whole procedure is pretty quick. It can be over and done with in 15 minutes or may take up to 45 minutes to complete. It all depends on the size of the area to be treated. Here is a summary of the steps involved:

You will be asked to change into shorts.
Photographs of your legs will be taken for the purpose of medical records.
You will required to lie down on the examination table. To take your mind off the whole procedure, you could listen to your favorite music, read a book, or just chit chat with your practitioner.
Your skin will be cleansed using antiseptic solutions.
Stretching the skin with one hand so that it remains taut, your doctor will start to inject the sclerosing solution into the enlarged veins.
The doctor will need to administer one injection for every inch of spider vein. Up to a maximum of 40 injections can be done for each treatment session. You will probably feel some small needle pricks and possibly a burning sensation that is quite mild. However, the pain is kept to a minimum as a very thin needle and a very mild sclerosing agent is used.
A cotton ball and compression tape is applied to each area of the leg as it is finished.
You will be asked to shift positions a few times until the whole procedure is completed.

AFTER YOUR SPIDER VEINS TREATMENT
The compression tape and cotton balls can be removed after 48 hours.

The doctor may also prescribed tight-fitting elastic support hose to prevent blood clots and promote healing. You will need to wear these for at least 72 hours.

If you experience the following, don’t be alarmed. If you are unsure, consult with your doctor:

In the first couple of days, there could be cramps in the legs. No medication is required as the problem is temporary and will go away soon.
Initially, the treated veins will look worse. They will only start to look better later.
The injected areas will look bruised and reddish. It will take about a month for the bruises to disappear.
There could be some residual brown pigmentation. These may require up to a year before they completely fade.

WHEN CAN YOU RETURN TO NORMAL ACTIVITIES?
You can return to normal activities immediately after your sclerotherapy treatment, taking note of the following points:

You would probably want to avoid wearing garments that bare your legs for the next two weeks.
Walking around is highly encouraged. This is to prevent the formation of blood clots in the deeper veins.
Avoid any prolonged standing or sitting.
Avoid activities such as squatting, lifting heavy weight and exercises such as jogging that pound on your legs.

You would need to wait for a month to allow the body to heal before the second course of injections is done on the same area. Further improvements in the appearance of the skin on your legs can be seen after each treatment.

THE DIFFERENCE SPIDER VEINS TREATMENTS MAKE TO YOUR SKIN
Most people are pleasantly surprised by the results that sclerotherapy makes to their legs. The skin will look younger, much clearer and has a healthy-looking glow.

However, although sclerotherapy is effective as a spider vein removal treatment, it does not prevent the formation of new spider veins. Further treatments may be required to get rid of the new spider veins that are formed.

SPIDER VEINS TREATMENT #2
LASER SURGERY
Technology has progressed and new laser treatments are now used effectively as spider veins treatments.

Laser spider veins treatments sends very strong bursts of light onto the vein. This slowly makes the vein fade and gradually disappear.

When the laser is properly controlled by a well trained doctor, it is very direct, accurate and will damage only the area being treated.

Laser spider veins treatment is appealing in the following ways:

Most skin types and colors can be safely treated with lasers.
It does not use needles or incisions.

However, when the laser hits the skin, the patient feels a heat sensation that can be quite painful. Cooling helps reduce the pain.

Laser treatments last for 15 to 20 minutes. Depending on the severity of the veins, two to five treatments are generally needed to remove spider veins in the legs.

Just like sclerotherapy, patients are able to return to normal activity immediately after treatment. For spider veins larger than 3 mm, laser therapy is not very practical.

There are some possible side effects to laser spider treatment that you should take note:

Redness or swelling of the skin right after the treatment
These will usually disappear within a few days.
Skin discoloration
These will usually take one to two months to disappears.
Burns and scars
These rarely happens and unless the laser surgery is poorly performed.

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