Spider & Varicose Veins

Leg veins are a result of a backup of blood caused by weak or damaged valves in the veins. The heart pumps blood filled with oxygen and nutrients to the whole body through arteries. Veins then carry the blood back to the heart. Valves inside the veins act as one-way flaps to prevent blood from flowing backwards as it moves up your legs. If the valves become weak, blood can leak back and collect there, causing the veins to get bigger and therefore visible. Leg veins are blue because they are deep and large.

The following will help to prevent your chances of getting visible leg veins: Exercise regularly, don’t cross your legs for long periods of time when sitting, control your weight, don’t stand or sit for long periods of time, elevate your legs when resting, wear elastic support stocking, and avoid tight clothing.

Sclerotherapy is generally not a painful procedure. We use a very small needle to inject a liquid solution into the vein. It may cause a small burning sensation, but most of our patients find the pain very tolerable. Plus, the procedure is performed under a local anesthetic, reducing the ability to feel pain.

At our practice, 90% of patients only require 1 treatment. However in some cases a patient will need need 3-5 treatments, performed 4-6 weeks apart.

Scleroptherapy is the most common procedure performed on spider veins or varicose veins. It is the most effective treatment available today for elimination of large veins. Not only is it effective in eliminating the unsightly vein but it actually helps prevent the vein from coming back. The sclerosing agent also closes the smaller veins (feeder veins) that contributed to the larger one targeted for treatment. This greatly reduces the odds that the vein will reappear.

Varicose veins are large blue, dark purple veins. They often bulge from the skin and may even have a cord-like appearance. They are most frequently found on the legs.

Spider veins are very small and usually red or blue in color. They are much closer to the surface compared to varicose veins. They can look like a thin red line, tree branches or a spider web. Spider veins can be found on the legs, face, and may cover a small or large area.

Reticular veins are known as feeder veins. They are blue and green veins beneath the surface of the skin. They enlarge because of increased pressure in the vein and can be caused by heredity.

Varicose veins and spider veins are very common. Approximately half of the population 50+ years old has leg veins, so you are not alone!

The following factors will increase your risk for leg veins / can cause leg veins:
1 – Heredity: Having a family member who has leg veins may increase your risk of developing them. Approximately ½ of people who have varicose veins have a family history of them.
2 – Age: The normal wear and tear of aging cases valves in the veins to weaken and the backup of blood causes visible veins.
3 – Gender: Women are 2-3 times more likely to develop varicose veins than men, due to changes in hormones with puberty, pregnancy, menopause and with birth control pills.
4 – Pregnancy: During pregnancy the growth of the fetus increase pressure on leg veins. However, leg veins that occur during pregnancy usually improve within 3-12 months after delivery.
5 – Overweight and Obesity: Having extra body weight can put additional pressure on veins.
6 – Prolonged Standing/Sitting: This is especially true with legs bent or crossed, as this causes veins to work harder to pump blood back up to the heart.
Other possible causes include race, posture, occupation, hormones, primary valvular incompetence and incompetent perforating veins.

Since each patient’s needs are unique the cost of sclerotherapy depends on the individual. If you only have a few veins it can be less and is up to the doctor’s discretion. Call our office to schedule a consultation with Dr. Goldman to see how much your sclerotherapy treatment will cost.

Because each patient has varying amounts and degrees of veins located in different places, the best treatment for spider veins will be determined during your initial consultation. Most commonly, our expert dermatologists will decide upon laser treatment, non-invasive sclerotherapy injections, or phlebectomy surgery for larger and more pertinent veins.

The cost of treatment spider veins will vary from individual to individual, as everyone is seeking different outcomes. During your initial consultation with our expert dermatologists, we’ll be able to provide you with a treatment estimate that can provide you with the absolute best results.

Ideally, a board certified dermatologist or cosmetic surgeon should perform these types of vein procedures. Dermatologists and cosmetic surgeons have the highest level of knowledge pertaining to skin conditions. At Cosmetic Laser Dermatology, we house a team of five of the most world-renowned board certified dermatologists and cosmetic surgeons, meaning you couldn’t be in better hands for your spider vein treatments.

Yes, younger individuals can develop unwanted spider veins. In fact, varicose veins can occur at anytime during a person’s life. It’s very common for people to begin to notice unwanted facial veins around the eyes or temples in their mid or late twenties, with leg veins occurring in a persons thirties or forties.

Yes and no. Some people are genetically prone to the development of spider veins, while others can take measures to reduce their risk of appearance. It is believed that maintaining an active lifestyle, a healthy weight, and wearing sunscreen can prolong the development of spider veins in San Diego.

Sun protection is the best thing you can do, as with time the sun thins the skin increasing the visibility of the veins. We commonly use the long-pulsed 1064nm Nd:YAG laser to treat veins around the eyes with great results and high patient satisfaction. It takes no more than 5 minutes.