Do you have a question?
- June 15, 2018
Spider veins, little dilated superficial blood vessels that are caused by increased pressure in the veins, are both annoying and unsightly. Often located on both the thighs and calves, they are extremely visible, and we’ve had many patients tell us that they’ve avoided wearing shorts or skirts for years because they hate how they look. Fortunately, spider veins are treatable, and although not covered by insurance, treatment is performed right in our office using sclerotherapy injections – the gold standard in spider vein treatment. Even better, Albuquerque Vein & Laser Institute is fortunate to have one of the very best sclerotherapy nurses in the region treating our spider vein patients!
During this procedure, a very fine needle is used to slowly inject the sclerosant solution into the vein. The solution irritates the lining of the vein, causing it to collapse. Compression stockings are applied after the treatment.
Over the course of the next few months, the veins will fade. Most patients require a series of 3-5 treatments over the course of several months. The number of treatments will vary with each patient. A personal treatment plan will be discussed at the time of your vein consultation.
What Causes Spider Veins?
A number of factors determine whether or not a person may develop spider veins, including:
- Genetics
- Age
- Hormones (pregnancy, menopause)
- Obesity
- Long Periods of Daily Standing
If you think you may have spider veins, you can read more about symptoms here.