Spider veins appear on the legs generally but they can be also found on the face or other parts of the body. These veins are little external blood vessels on the skin that can be reddish or bluish in color. These blood vessels are dilated and short and look like lines which are unconnected.
Spider veins can look just like its given name, a spider web or maybe a tree with branches. They can occur in small areas which are not very visible or they can be very obvious and unattractive if they cover a big area. The blood vessels which are big are also known as varicose veins and can be clearly seen at the skin surface together with spider veins.
Spider veins are not only unsightly in appearance but can cause pain depending on the size of the vessels. There can bring about dull pain or a burning feeling including discomfort. Although the bigger vessels are expected to cause more distress, those who has the smaller veins may experience the same level of discomfort as well.
As spider veins can be worrisome, they are treatments available to treat this problem such as injections and lasers that can diminish or get rid of these veins. It is proven that 8 out of 10 patients who receive treatment experienced an immense improvement in appearance.
Spider veins run in families to the extent that identical twins can get these veins in the same part of their bodies. However, this problem is rarely linked to internal disease but till today the exact cause for this problem is not entirely known. The veins can occur in both genders but the fairer gender is more prone to this condition. The female hormones, consuming birth control pills and pregnancy can contribute to the build-up of these veins.
Sometimes wearing tight clothes clinging to the skin after an injury too can cause spider veins. Veins that are found on the face could be resulted from excessive sun exposure.
This condition cannot be prevented completely but it is a known fact that wearing support hose can reduce the development of blood cells. If one is overweight and does not work out, spider veins will develop given time. The use of high heels and consuming a high-fiber diet too contribute to the appearance of these veins. One should keep the sun at bay too to control the amount of unwanted vessels to form on the face.
Injections that contain sclerotherapy can treat spider veins by injecting precisely into the blood vessel. The vessel’s lining will then swell and cause the blood to clot. After a phase of a few weeks, the vessels will become scar tissue which will gradually fade. Sometimes larger blood vessels require several injections have to be jabbed during intervals of weeks. But most vessels only involve a single injection as treatment to treat the problem.
Spider veins that occurs on the face can be treated with several ways such as electrodessication, intense pulse light (IPL) and laser. Laser itself has several types and the dermatologist will determine the best type after carefully studying your problem. The hemoglobin in the blood vessels absorbs the wavelengths from lasers to destroy the veins.
There are several side effects to treatments for spider veins namely for sclerotherapy injections. They include stinging and swelling at the locations of the injections which can worsen to muscle cramps and pain. However these effects will only last from 15 minutes to at most a day only.
Sometimes the sites of the injection can turn reddish or brownish in lines or in spots. The brown comes in form due to the escape of blood from the larger treated veins. Some patients do tan themselves to make these brown spots less obvious but in most cases, these marks disappear within a year or so.
There are cases where some patients are allergic to the sclerosing solutions. This can be treated by the dermatologist successfully and quickly. Sometimes the treated blood vessels get inflamed which is quite rare but there are solutions to this side effect by applying compression or taking oral prescription by your dermatologist
Although spider veins do come back at times, it is also proven that treatment for spider veins have been successful. Different methods are used in accordance to the size and location of these veins. So it is important one goes through detailed observations by an experienced dermatologist before undergoing any treatment.
