Make Your Spider Veins Vanish for Good

While harmless, spider veins are still an eyesore. “They’re typically caused by a weakening of the blood vessel wall,” says family physician Victor Otero, M.D., of Lehigh Valley Hospital and Health Network. “That can arise from anything that puts pressure on the veins—like excess weight, standing for long periods, or fluctuating hormones due to pregnancy.”

The good news is that spider veins are very easily removed. “Their size, extent and location determine the most appropriate treatment,” says Otero’s colleague, plastic surgeon Robert X. Murphy Jr., M.D. The two most common procedures don’t require anesthesia and can be performed in an outpatient center or doctor’s office.

Sclerotherapy is used to treat larger spider veins on the legs. The doctor injects a concentrated chemical solution into the vein, causing it to collapse. The spider vein—and any slight bruising or swelling from the treatment—shrinks and fades within a month.

Laser therapy is best for smaller, more superficial spider veins on the arms, face or legs. The doctor aims a focused beam of light at the vein to heat and destroy it. Some changes are noticeable immediately; within several weeks the spider vein disappears.

The cost of either procedure varies depending on the extent of the spider veins and the number of treatments needed. Average cost is $200-$400 per treatment and is not covered by insurance.

Want to Know More? For information on varicose veins or how to choose a qualified doctor (surgeons, dermatologists, radiologists and family medicine physicians all treat spider veins), call 610-402-CARE or click here.

Published from Healthy You Magazine, January-February 2008

ARTICLE TOOLS: