Spider veins or telangiectasias are actually forms of varicose veins. Like varicose veins, the veins can no longer carry blood to the heart the way they’re supposed to. Their valves collapse, they dilate and allow blood to pool. However, instead of being the large veins that come from the legs, spider veins are capillaries that can be found not just in the legs but in the nose and the face as well. They’re closer to the top layers of the skin and when they dilate they form very thin tangles or webs on the face or legs. They are most often blue or red.
Spider veins aren’t dangerous, but people who have them often find them unattractive and opt to have them removed. This is especially true if they’re found in the face or nose.
Treatment of Spider Veins
Spider veins can be treated with lasers or sclerotherapy. Lasers destroy the spider veins and the body reabsorbs what’s left of them. It might take a few sessions with laser for the spider veins to disappear completely. Another way to get rid of spider veins is to inject them with a chemical that causes them to swell. The blood also clots in the vein and eventually it collapses then fades. If the spider veins are found in the legs, the patient is often given compression bandages to wear. This forces the walls of the veins to adhere. Again, the body reabsorbs them and they eventually disappear. Blood that would have normally flowed through these insufficient veins are now sent to other veins.
Signs and Symptoms
Spider veins can often be seen right away, even though they’re not palpable like larger varicose veins. Spider veins most often show up in middle aged people and can be the result of too much sun exposure or changes in the person’s hormone levels. But the causes of spider veins aren’t completely understood.
Residents in the vicinity of Dayton or Springboro, Ohio who are worried about spider veins should call Varicose to Perfect clinic for a consultation. Their number is 937 405-4010.