3 Treatment Options for Spider Veins
Early treatment for spider veins minimizes symptoms and helps to prevent further damage and complications. Your cardiovascular specialist will assess your condition and determine whether advanced treatments like laser therapy and sclerotherapy are needed. If your condition isn’t severe, compression stockings and regular exercise may be enough to make the veins less noticeable. Here are three treatment options for spider and varicose veins:
1. Sclerotherapy
If your spider veins are affecting your quality of life, a vascular specialist may recommend sclerotherapy. This treatment involves injecting a sclerosis solution, also known as a sclerosant, into the bulging veins. Sclerotherapy causes the vein to undergo fibrosis, which makes it shrink and disappear. Your body then reroutes blood supply to other healthy veins. New veins can also develop to replace the closed ones.
Sclerotherapy is a minimally invasive procedure that doesn’t affect your healthy veins and blood supply. It only targets the thread veins, which are absorbed by your body over time, causing them to disappear. The procedure is outpatient, and you can resume normal activity immediately afterward. Your vascular specialist may recommend wearing compression socks for a few days after treatment to speed up healing. Sclerotherapy can reduce pain, discomfort, and bleeding caused by the affected veins.
2. Laser Therapy
Cardiovascular specialists offer superficial and endovenous laser therapies for spider and varicose veins. Superficial laser therapy involves using light beams or thermal energy to destroy the targeted veins. The procedure targets blood pigments and heats the veins without affecting your skin and muscles. Heat damage affects small veins, causing them to collapse, seal, and disappear. Your doctor can administer local anesthesia to reduce any discomfort during laser treatment.
Endovenous laser therapy is a more advanced procedure used to destroy larger veins. The procedure involves inserting a small laser fiber into the vein through a tiny cut. Laser fibers feature a small catheter and a tip that can be heated to apply heat to the specific vessel. In superficial and endovenous laser therapies, the collapsed vein is gradually reabsorbed by the body, and blood is rerouted to healthier veins. Laser treatments usually require multiple sessions to eliminate problematic veins.
3. Compression Stockings
If you have a less severe case of spider or varicose veins, your doctor might recommend wearing compression stockings. This treatment is a good solution if you aren’t experiencing significant discomfort, itching, or other undesirable symptoms. Compression stockings apply pressure to boost circulation and strengthen leg muscles.
The compression level varies depending on the type of stocking. Support stockings usually offer the least amount of pressure and are rarely recommended for more visible veins. Gradient compression stockings provide more pressure to the lower leg, ankles, and feet. Medical grade stockings are the ones vascular specialists recommend to boost circulation and prevent spider and varicose veins from worsening. Your doctor may also recommend lifestyle changes, such as regular exercise, weight management, and limiting standing and sitting hours. These changes help to boost blood flow and prevent new problematic veins.
Start Treatment for Spider Veins
Vascular specialists prescribe various treatments for spider and varicose veins, including radiofrequency ablation, surgery, and stripping. Such options are rarely required due to the efficiency of sclerotherapy and laser therapy treatments. Contact a cardiovascular specialist today to learn more about which treatment method is right for your spider veins.
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