Treatment for Spider Veins - Sinno Plastic Surgery

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At Sinno Center for Plastic Surgery, we understand how spider veins can make you feel self conscious about wearing anything other than long pants. That’s why we offer a safe alternative to just living with them. Please feel free to contact us for a consultation with Dr Sinno to talk about your specific needs and answer any questions you might have about the procedure.

What are spider veins?
Who should be treated for spider veins?
How are spider veins treated?
What results can you expect with sclerotherapy?
How can you prepare for your sclerotherapy?
What can you expect when you are healing?
How long will results last?
What are the possible side effects or risks?
Are there any alternatives to sclerotherapy?
Will insurance pay for the procedure?
Next steps …

WHAT ARE SPIDER VEINS?
Spider veins are thin-walled dilated veins that have become long and twisted. People call them by various names, including spider veins, web veins, venous stars and reticular networks.

Spider veins get their name from their shape -- they often look like a red or bluish-purple spider, with a central “body” and several “legs” of varying length. Spider veins usually occur on the legs, and sometimes on the face or other parts of the body. Spider veins, which usually are not painful, will fade when pressed in the center.

WHO SHOULD BE TREATED FOR SPIDER VEINS?
Many people develop spider veins from downward pressure caused by pregnancy or excessive body weight. Long periods of standing, high impact sports or certain injuries also can result in vein damage leading to spider veins.
Some people are just genetically predisposed to develop spider veins without any other risk factors.

Spider veins are harmless, but they can make you feel self-conscious if you have large or dark clusters of them. They do not serve any useful physiologic function and their removal is safe.

HOW ARE SPIDER VEINS TREATED?
Treatment is done in Dr. Sinno’s office by extremely fine injections of a solution containing salt, water and a local anesthetic.

The affected veins are injected and the solution causes the blood to empty out of the vein. That vein then becomes inflamed. When the inflammation subsides, the walls of the vein are scarred and stick together. This obliterates the vein so that it is no longer visible.

Needles used for the injections are very small and cause little pain. Any discomfort you feel will only last a few minutes.

Patients who have more extensive spider vein problems may need several sessions of treatment over a period of time.

Sometimes, very small veins can be treated with specially designed lasers.

Sedation is usually unnecessary.

WHAT RESULTS CAN YOU EXPECT WITH SCLEROTHERAPY?
Treatment of your spider veins will dramatically improve the appearance of your legs. Do keep in mind that sclerotherapy is not a miracle cure, and you will probably continue to see new spider veins develop throughout your lifetime.

The spider veins that are treated do not come back.

HOW CAN YOU PREPARE FOR YOUR SCLEROTHERAPY?
The best way to prepare your body for surgery is to make healthy lifestyle choices in the weeks beforehand. Exercise regularly. Get adequate sleep. Eat right. Take vitamin supplements. Reduce stress. If you prepare your body for surgery, your “back-to-normal time” is often reduced.

WHAT CAN YOU EXPECT WHEN YOU ARE HEALING?

Pain
You may have some minor discomfort immediately after treatment. You can take mild, over-the-counter pain medication if necessary.

Discoloration
You will see a bruise-like change of skin color in the area treated. This usually lasts for 5-7 days and then disappears. Occasionally, a temporary tan or brown discoloration in the skin may be visible where the spider vein used to be. This is due to the absorption of some vein and blood products (called Hemosiderin) by your body, and can take several months to disappear.

Inflammation
The area immediately surrounding the injected vein may be somewhat red and inflamed the first few days after treatment. It will subside in a few days.

Resuming regular activity

Stay on your feet and moving as much as possible in the first 3 days after the procedure.
Avoid long car or plane trips for several days after treatment.
If you must sit for long periods of time, get up and move around at least once every hour.
You may wear light to medium compression stockings for 1-3 days after the procedure, to minimize any lower leg swelling.
You can shower or bathe, starting the day after the procedure.

Diet and Nutrition
Good diet and nutrition will help your body heal better, and faster, after a surgical procedure.

Drink plenty of water or clear fluids; up to 64 ounces a day is recommended
Eat fresh fruits and vegetables with every meal
Eat small amounts of protein with every meal
Eat every 4-5 hours; do not wait longer to eat
Eat more frequent meals, with fewer calories per meal
Eat breakfast within an hour after you get up
Use vitamin supplements, especially antioxidants, to promote healing and renew energy

HOW LONG WILL RESULTS LAST?
New spider veins can develop, either in new areas or in the same general place as before. The length of time for development of new spider veins is highly individual and not predictable.

WHAT ARE THE POSSIBLE SIDE EFFECTS OR RISKS?
Spider veins have been treated with injection therapy for more than 50 years. The results, and potential complications, are well known. For most patients, there is very little risk associated with treatment of spider veins. Sometimes, people may experience the following side effects:

Hyperpigmentation (darker skin) occasionally develops along the course of the vein injected. Usually it fades, and sometimes requires short-term use of a bleaching cream.
Inflammation normally occurs around the injected vein for a few days after the procedure.
Multiple veins may develop around the injection site, making the skin appear reddish. This is highly unusual.
Deep vein thrombosis—is an extremely rare complication of spider vein treatment.

Certain individuals may not be good candidates for spider vein treatment. A consultation with Dr. Sinno will allow you to explore the possibilities of treatment for yourself.

ARE THERE ANY ALTERNATIVES TO SCLEROTHERAPY?
We may be able to treat your spider veins with special lasers.

WILL INSURANCE PAY FOR THE PROCEDURE?
Treatment for spider veins is considered cosmetic therapy and therefore not covered by insurance. You are responsible for full payment.

NEXT STEPS . . .

Please feel free to contact us. We can answer your questions and create a customized plan that will work best for you and your body.