Treatment of Spider Veins
An estimated half of all adult women have some from of spider veins, which are clusters of visible red, purple, or blue veins usually visible on the ankles, calves, and thighs. Spider veins can appear at any time, but are most frequently reported in adult women between the ages of 30 and 60. In addition to being unsightly, spider veins are frequently associated with symptoms such as aching, burning, swelling, and night cramps. Although the exact causes of spider veins aren't known, it is thought that factors include prolonged sitting or standing, pregnancy and other hormonal changes, weight gain, aging, and heredity. While women get spider veins more frequently, they also occur in men. However, spider veins can be treated equally effectively in both sexes.
Contrary to popular opinion, spider veins are not broken veins, but are intact veins that have simply become dilated or stretched. While the fine veins that make up spider vein clusters are connected to the venous system, they are not essential, and consequently, they can be safely removed.
Options for eliminating spider veins involve one of two basic procedures: Laser vein removal or sclerotherapy. Both of these procedures involve breaking down the veins so that they are reabsorbed into the body and are no longer visible. Both procedures are simple, relatively painless, and involve little time or discomfort during recovery.
Diana Murphy performs a Spider Vein treatment
Laser vein removal involves targeting a laser light at the spider veins, bypassing the skin. The hemoglobin absorbs the laser light, which causes the vessels to coagulate and be absorbed harmlessly into the system.
Sclerotherapy involves a similar result, in that the spider veins are broken down and absorbed into the system, but the procedure is different. With sclerotherapy, the veins are injected with a saline or other similar solution, approximately one injection per inch, causing inflammation inside the vein, which causes the lumen, or cavity, of the vein to collapse and the vein to be subsequently reabsorbed.
Both procedures produce similar results using similar underlying methods, but each involves some unique benefits and limitations that should be carefully considered during the decision making process.
Some of the major factors the patient should take into consideration include the following:
Needle sensitivity. Sclerotherapy requires the doctor to inject the solution into the patient's skin, at about one injection per inch of skin. The needle is thin, and the injections shallow, but for patients with extreme sensitivity to needles, laser vein removal might be preferable to avoid any discomfort.
Precision. Laser vein therapy can allow the doctor or his/her certified technician to more effectively target smaller areas and finer veins than is usual in sclerotherapy.
Cost. Because laser vein removal requires the use of expensive laser equipment, costs for laser vein therapy tend to be higher than for sclerotherapy.
Some patients may only need one treatment but usually up to 3 treatments are required to clear the skin of the spider vein completely. Until the development of the newer ND:YAG lasers, sclerotherapy was the treatment of choice for smaller leg veins. Laser therapy of small leg veins is now comparable to sclerotherapy for treatment efficacy.
The CoolGlide system's long pulse Nd:YAG laser light is delivered through an actively-cooled handpiece, which glides comfortably across the skin, safely treating both tiny superficial face veins and deeper blue leg veins on men and women of all skin tones.
Dr. Murphy’s patients, both men and women alike really appreciate this new laser technology because it is fast and effective with minimal discomfort. In addition most patients can return to most activities immediately.
For more information on this latest breakthrough for the removal of superficial face veins and deeper blue leg veins contact our office at Murphy Laser in Ottawa 613-235-9549.
