Spider veins are very small veins that are dilated and form networks of blue and red lines or capillaries with a slightly increased diameter than normal.
Capillaries that break become blue or red in color, and spread on the skin like a spider's web.
Spider veins are more often located on the legs than the face.
What factors cause or increase the risk of spider veins’ appearance?
- Heredity.
- Age.
- Lack of physical exercise.
- Hormonal changes (menopause - pregnancy).
- Taking birth control pills or other medicines containing estrogen or progesterone.
- Obesity.
- Sun exposure.
What are the symptoms?
- Sensation of heaviness in the legs.
- Tired legs.
- Cramps.
- Burning sensation, especially when we are in an upright position for a long period of time.
Current treatment options for spider veins
Sclerotherapy:
Sclerotherapy is an effective treatment for spider veins. By using a very small needle a chemical substance is injected into the vein closing the lumen of the vein.
The vessel shrinks, closes and eventually disappears. The treatment is performed in the office by Dr. Kretsis and lasts about 20-30 minutes. During the course of treatment the patient feels little bites which are well tolerated.
At the end there is a mild irritation, edema and change in the color (darker) of the vessel in which the medicine was injected which subsides after 15 days.
The patient should not be exposed to sunlight for the next 20-30 days and that is why this treatment is essential to be performed during the winter months.
The disadvantage is that it cannot be applied in very small vessels.
And that is the point where laser comes in.
Laser:
In recent years lasers effectively used for the treatment of spider veins.
This treatment is performed in the office. The laser delivers very powerful beams of light through the skin into the vein, which is absorbed by hemoglobin in the blood vessels that we have chosen.
The vessel is destroyed and absorbed gradually by the body. The treatment is individualized depending on the problem and extent of it to each patient, usually 2-3 sessions are required with a time interval of 20 days. The duration of treatment is 20 to 30 minutes and the patient feels little pinches due to the cold air cooling mechanism of the laser.
At the end of treatment there is a mild irritation and the blood vessels become slightly darker for the next 15 days.
Sun and heat exposure are prohibited and thus we perform the treatment during the winter months.
The treatment of spider veins with laser is particularly effective in the red small vessels, known as capillaries, which are very small in diameter. The patient is relieved from the unsightly image of the vessel as well as from the pain and sense of weight in the legs.