Spider Veins

What are spider veins?

Spider veins are surface veins that are less than 1 mm in size. They are caused by increased pressure in the small veins on the surface of the skin. Spider veins are typically treated by sclerotherapy, however, advances in the detection and understanding of vein disease have confirmed that often there is a source of venous insufficiency feeding the spider veins.

Sclerotherapy is the standard treatment for spider veins and superficial small varicose veins that usually appear on the legs. They less commonly appear on other parts of the body. Injection sclerotherapy involves the injection of a solution into a targeted spider vein or a reticular vein through a very fine needle (32 gauge). The chemical irritates the lining of the vein immediately upon contact and collapses the blood vessel with subsequent reabsorption of the vein over the course of weeks to months. The procedure is performed using the smallest needle possible to minimize the pain of injection. In fact, patients are pleasantly surprised when they experience how painless modern injection sclerotherapy is. Graduated compression stockings are recommended for patients after treatment for 72 hours. Vein Specialists' providers use Asclera in concentrations of .5% and 1%. Asclera (polidocanol) is preferred by patients over both STS and traditional saline. Besides noticeable cosmetic benefits, sclerotherapy may also improve local bothersome symptoms associated with the spider veins, including localized itching, aching, and burning. Dyour. Joseph Magnant and his team at Vein Specialists are here to help you to get rid of your spider veins.