Spider Veins
Spider veins are a common problem affecting both women and men. They can occur anywhere but most commonly appear on the legs. They are either red or purple in color and appear singularly or in clusters. Genetics, hormones, certain activities and pregnancy are the most common causes of spider veins.
Treatment
- Sclerotherapy is often the treatment of choice for spider veins occurring on the legs. This is a procedure that involves the injection of a medicated solution or foam into the involved veins. One of several kinds of solutions may be used, and it is injected with a fine needle. Sometimes it may be necessary to treat larger vessels that lead into the spider veins. This can often be done with sclerotherapy as well. Depending on the size of the veins being treated, a single blood vessel may have to be injected more than once, some weeks or months apart. After the appropriate number of treatments, most patients can expect significant improvement. Fading may occur over several months.
- Laser treatment is often used as an adjunctive treatment to sclerotherapy (if needed). Laser treatments can also work well for fine vessels that are too small to respond to traditional injections.
