Spider Veins

What are spider veins?

Spider veins are small clusters of tiny, unsightly red, purple, or blue veins. They are the smallest kind of varicose vein and generally only an aesthetic concern. For some people, spider veins are painful.

Spider veins are likely to appear on your thighs, calves, and ankles. They’re very close to the skin’s surface. While they connect to larger veins, they aren’t essential to your circulatory system.

Women tend to be affected by spider veins more often than men, and around half of all adult women have spider veins.

How are spider veins treated?

AMI Surgery offers several methods for treating spider veins:

Sclerotherapy

Sclerotherapy uses a chemical solution (a sclerosant) to collapse the walls of your spider veins. Sclerosants consist of concentrated saline, other chemical solutions, or a special foam. 

Over time, your body absorbs the remains of the treated spider veins, restoring smoother, more youthful skin.

Laser treatment

Sometimes spider veins are too small to inject with a sclerosant, but laser treatment can take care of these. AMI Surgery often uses laser treatment as a second-line or clean-up procedure following sclerotherapy. 

What happens after spider vein treatment?

After spider vein treatment, you’ll need to wear compression stockings for seven days to apply pressure on the treated veins. This helps reduce bruising and keeps the treated spider veins closed.

You might have some slight bruising around the treatment areas, but this usually fades after a week or so. It’s a good idea to walk regularly while recovering, but you should avoid prolonged standing and vigorous activities for the first three days.

It could take several months to see the final results, but most patients notice significant improvement within a few weeks.

How many spider vein treatments will I need?

Most patients require three spider vein treatments to correct the problem completely. While successfully treated spider veins are gone for good following treatment, you could develop new spider veins over time. 

To find out more about how to get rid of spider veins and feel more confident about your appearance, call AMI Surgery or book an appointment online today.