Spider Veins

How are spider veins diagnosed?

Your dermatologist will perform a physical exam to diagnose spider veins, carefully examining the patterns of veins on your legs, feet, or other areas. The doctor will also check for any signs of swelling or changes in skin color. The dermatologist may also perform an ultrasound or venogram to see how blood is flowing through your veins.

What are my spider vein treatment options?

Based on the information from the physical exam and testing, your Forefront dermatologist will recommend the best treatment for spider veins. To provide you with the most effective results, your dermatologist may recommend more than one treatment option. Treatments range from self-care at home, spider vein treatment injection, and laser therapy.

Laser treatment: Laser treatment for spider veins uses the heat from light energy to destroy spider veins without affecting the surrounding skin. If you have small spider veins, you’ll notice immediate results after one laser treatment. Larger spider veins usually require two to three treatments before they disappear, which can take one to three months.

Injection treatment: Sclerotherapy is a treatment that uses a series of injections to cause spider veins to collapse. The procedure doesn’t require anesthesia and is performed by a board-certified dermatologist at Forefront Dermatology.

Self-care: If you have small spider veins that aren’t causing your legs to ache or swell, following these self-care tips at home can improve circulation:

Exercise regularly:

• Keep your legs elevated while sitting to prevent blood from pooling in your legs
• Wear compression stockings to reduce swelling and improve blood flow
• If you sit or stand for long periods, take a small break every 30 minutes to walk around
• Avoid soaking in a hot bath for extended periods, which can cause your veins to swell

What happens during a sclerotherapy procedure?

During your sclerotherapy injection treatment session, your dermatologist will inject a solution directly into the affected veins. The chemical solution affects the walls of the vein, causing them to swell shut. Once the vein collapses, blood is prevented from flowing into the area. If you have several spider veins, the treatment may require multiple injections to target the wall of each vein. Depending on the number of veins requiring treatment, the procedure can last between fifteen minutes to one hour.

After injecting the affected veins, your dermatologist will massage the treatment area and place a compression stocking on each leg. To help with healing and to maintain pressure on the treated veins, your dermatologist will recommend wearing compression stockings for two to three weeks. It’s also important to take daily walks and move around as much as possible after the procedure to prevent blood clots from forming and ensure the best possible results. You can usually return to work and most everyday activities following your procedure. We also recommend avoiding direct sun exposure for at least two weeks.

Over three to six weeks, your spider veins will gradually fade. Most patients require two or three treatments for full results.

If spider veins are causing you discomfort or negatively affecting your appearance, schedule a consultation with a skincare expert at Forefront Dermatology.