What are Spider Veins?
Spider veins are red and purple blood vessels that occur in
patches on the legs and face. The network of vessels is
often as delicate as a spider's web, which is how they get
their name, but the patches also resemble tiny sunbursts,
branching trees or just plain old lines.
Spider veins (referred to medically as telangiectasias) and
varicose veins are not the same -- and one does not lead to
the other. Whereas varicose veins are large, swollen and
occur singularly on the legs, spider veins are delicate and
tend to develop in clusters. They are, however, caused by
similar factors. Spider veins appear to be hormonally
induced and often are associated with pregnancy and
menstruation. Although these spider veins do not produce
symptoms, the feeder veins deeper in the skin may cause
discomfort. Spider veins occur mostly in women.
What
are the different treatment options?
-
Sclerotherapy is a technique,
which involves the use of a very fine needle to inject a
solution (sclerosant) directly into the veins. The
solution causes the lining of the vein swell, eventually
sealing off the blood vessel and preventing blood flow.
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Cutera Laser (www.cutera.com)
