Spider Veins

Spider veins are small red, blue, or purple blood vessels that can form unsightly networks across your skin. Spider veins aren’t harmful to your health, in general, although they’re an indication that you could be at risk of developing varicose veins in the future.

Spider veins tend to show up on your face and legs, and when they do, they can contribute to the aging effect and have an impact on your self-confidence. The good news is that there are effective solutions for dealing with spider veins.

What causes spider veins?

Spider veins typically develop because of problems with the valves that control the direction of blood flow around your veins. 

If the valves weaken, blood can start seeping through in the wrong direction, making the blood vessels swell and darken. When this happens in the smallest vessels, you get spider veins. You’re more likely to develop spider veins if you:

• Regularly stand for long periods
• Are overweight or obese
• Have family members with spider veins
• Are pregnant
• Are taking birth control pills
• Use hormone replacement therapy
• Are going through menopause

The team at Lorven Heart and Vascular Institute, LLC, specializes in safe, effective methods of treating spider veins using advanced nonsurgical technologies.

What treatments are available for spider veins?

There are two main treatment methods available for spider veins at Lorven Heart and Vascular Institute, LLC:

Sclerotherapy

Sclerotherapy is a well-established treatment for spider veins that involves using a chemical solution that your provider injects into the veins. The sclerosant solution shrinks and hardens the spider veins, and after 4-6 weeks, they disappear.

Laser therapy

Laser therapy is a newer approach to treating spider veins that’s entirely noninvasive, as the laser energy passes through your skin without harming it. 

Your provider uses heat created by the laser light to shrivel the spider veins; as with sclerotherapy, they then break down and disappear.

Neither of these treatments causes any adverse effects on your circulation, as your body simply sends blood through different veins when the spider veins shrivel up. None of these tiny blood vessels is essential, so destroying them isn’t a problem.

If you have spider veins, eliminating them is a straightforward, virtually painless procedure when you receive treatment at Lorven Heart and Vascular Institute, LLC. To schedule your consultation, call the office or request an appointment online today.