By Colin Doyle, APRN
Now that you know what spider veins look like and their causes, it’s time to discuss your spider vein removal options. Many of the factors that contribute to spider vein development can be avoided and preventative measures can be taken.
These recommendations include a variety of lifestyle, clothing and health recommendations:
- Weight Loss: Maintaining a healthy weight may reduce excessive venous pressure within the vessel.
- Avoid High Heel Shoes: High heels impair the calf muscle squeeze, which is responsible for circulating the blood and reducing pressure within the venous system.
- Stay Active and Exercise: Pressure within the venous system can be reduced by walking at least 5 minutes every two hours and by participating in a regular exercise program (walking, swimming or biking) for at least 30 minutes 5 times a week. These activities cause the calf muscle to flex, pumping blood back to the heart and reducing the pressure within the vein
- Protect Yourself from Excessive Sun Exposure: Apply sunscreen every 2 hours or keep covered while experiencing excessive exposure to light.
- Wear Graduated Compression: Wear compression socks and stockings daily, especially during periods of prolonged immobility (work).
- Elevate Your Legs: Elevate your lower extremities intermittently throughout the day, ideally to the level of the heart.
However, these measures will typically not resolve the vessels which have already developed and treatment may still be necessary. Treatment may consist of:
- Sclerotherapy: The gold standard treatment for spider veins is sclerotherapy. It involves introducing medication into the vessel through a needle. The medication causes the treated vessel to collapse and ultimately disappear.
- Topical Laser: In this procedure, strong bursts of light are transmitted through the skin and into the vein, causing the vessel to slowly fade away. This treatment is often less successful than sclerotherapy, however, it may be used to treat specific areas of the body.
Several treatments may be required in order to achieve satisfactory results. There is minimal risk associated with these procedures and even these risks can be managed by adhering to the pre and post-procedural instructions.
Spider veins are typically associated with both heredity and lifestyle factors. However, development can be slowed or halted and damaged vessels can be successfully treated with a minimal number of complication risks. Reach out to us for a priority, one-on-one appointment to discuss those treatments that can give you fast, effective relief.
