Spider Veins Treatment in Westerville
What are Spider Veins?
Do you have spider veins making their way across your legs? You’re not alone. A very common condition, spider veins affect around 25% of all adults in America. Not only is this condition uncomfortable and sometimes painful, but spider veins can be unsightly too.
Our experienced team of board-certified dermatologists at the Center for Surgical Dermatology near Westerville and Gahanna provide professional diagnosis and treatment options for your spider veins to help you find relief.
What is the difference between Varicose Veins & Spider Veins?
Spider veins are a milder variation of varicose veins; both result from compromised function of deeper veins. Spider veins refer to the smaller, reddish to purple veins near the surface of the skin that can be unsightly.
While varicose veins often become enlarged, dilated, and overfilled with blood, spider veins are thinner and finer. Varicose veins usually require treatment by a vascular surgeon, interventional radiologist, or other physician with expertise in removing these types of veins. Spider veins, however, are commonly treated in the dermatology setting and can be effectively addressed through less-invasive treatments.
What Causes Spider Veins?
Within each vein, you’ll find a one-way valve system that prevents blood from flowing backward. When these one-way valves weaken, which often happens with aging, gravity causes blood to collect in the veins rather than continuing up to the heart. The veins then dilate and enlarge, becoming more visible through the skin in a web-like pattern.
Spider Vein Treatment FAQs
The most common methods used for treatment of spider veins at the Center for Surgical Dermatology are sclerotherapy (injections) and laser treatment. Additionally, compression stockings may be recommended to optimize results after treatment and prevent new veins from forming.
While there might be some discomfort, laser treatment for spider veins is generally very easy to tolerate. Multiple sessions of laser treatment are often required to fully remove unwanted veins.
In most cases, spider veins and small varicose veins do not return after laser treatment has removed them. This is because the laser uses heat energy to collapse or shrink the vein, forcing the blood to reroute towards other healthy veins. Following the procedure, the treated vein should simply be absorbed into the surrounding tissue and disappear completely.
Some veins will require multiple treatment sessions to collapse them completely, and over time, the body may form new veins. Talk with your provider about setting expectations for removal of veins that are concerning to you.
Sclerotherapy treatment has been used for around 90 years to successfully treat spider veins and has only improved with time. This treatment works by injecting a solution into the vein, causing it to swell, which forces the blood to reroute towards other healthy veins nearby. Overtime, the vein will collapse and be absorbed into surrounding tissue.
Spider vein treatments are considered cosmetic, so many insurance providers don’t cover the procedures.
The cost of spider vein treatment varies widely depending on the type of procedure and the extent of treatment. At the Center for Surgical Dermatology, we recommend a consultation with one of our dermatology specialists to discuss treatment options and cost.
Contact our offices today by calling 614-847-4100 to find out more about our spider vein treatment cost.
Spider Vein Photos
Have questions or concerns? Please give us a call at 614.847.4100.