If you have noticed the appearance of spider veins (telangiectasia) on your legs, you are not alone. 25% of adults have some sort of vascular disorder, including over 40 million Americans. The good news is that there are many treatments available. At North Texas Vein & Vascular in Flower Mound, TX, we recommend sclerotherapy.
How Can You Get Rid of Spider Veins?
Sclerotherapy
Sclerotherapy is one of the fastest and most comfortable treatments for visible veins. It takes less than half an hour and has virtually no downtime. Fortunately, it is also extremely effective in treating spider veins.
During sclerotherapy, we use very small injections to gently collapse the veins that you want us to remove. From there, your body simply absorbs them, and they do not come back. So, how does this treatment work, and why is it so effective at removing the veins you don’t want?
Understanding Spider Veins
What is the deal with these visible veins anyway? Why do so many people get them and why do they never go away on their own?
What They Are
The veins that become visible when you have telangiectasia are just that…normal veins that take on a dark color, making them noticeable. Healthy veins circulate blood throughout the body. The blood that they channel is constantly flowing through them. When one or more of these veins become broken, the blood gets trapped inside and turns a blueish purple color.
What They Are Not
Drum roll please…telangiectasia is not a major medical concern! It is not life-threatening, and it usually does not cause discomfort. However, that said, it is also true that telangiectasia is not something you necessarily want to live with. With sclerotherapy, you don’t have to.
What Causes Them
What causes veins to become damaged in the first place? Let’s get into a little science about how they work. Each vein has a small hinge or door that keeps your blood moving. It can only channel the blood in one direction.
When that door breaks, the blood is no longer able to pass through the vein. This is what causes the blood to pool inside. The blueish purple color occurs because the blood is no longer getting exposed to oxygen.
Why Do Veins Get Broken?
Usually, broken veins occur as a result of undergoing an excessive amount of pressure. Certain conditions and genetics can also play a factor. Here are some triggers for this condition:
- Hormones
- Pregnancy
- Menopause
- Weight gain
- Standing for long periods of time
As you can see, some of these triggers are unique to women (pregnancy and menopause). This explains why telangiectasia is more common in women than in men. However, it is important to remember that it can affect anyone. Fortunately, sclerotherapy is effective for both genders.
Will These Veins Go Away on Their Own?
Perhaps you have been dealing with your veins day to day because you hope that your body will take care of them. The bad news is that the human immune system doesn’t have a way to fix the little doors in your veins once they are broken.
The good news is that today, treatments for vascular disorders are much more advanced than they once were. If you are ready to get those veins treated, sclerotherapy is a great option. Depending on your veins, there are a few other treatments that you might want to explore in addition to sclerotherapy. We will provide some information on them, too.
Everything You Need to Know About Sclerotherapy
What Is It?
Sclerotherapy is a way to treat your visible veins with small injections. It allows your body to clear out the veins that are damaged naturally, redirecting blood flow to the ones that are healthy.
How Does It Work?
During sclerotherapy, we inject liquid polidocanol into the veins that you want to treat. This agent causes the inner walls of those veins to break down. Afterward, your body will process them away, and your blood will be released. Once it is out of the damaged veins, the blood can once again be exposed to oxygen, and it will lose the blueish purple color.
How Long Does It Take?
Sclerotherapy is very fast. The time of the actual treatment is only around half an hour.
What Parts of the Body Can Receive This Treatment?
Sclerotherapy is most commonly done on the legs, mostly because that is the area where people commonly experience telangiectasia. However, it can be done on other parts of the body, too.
Is It Safe?
Yes. This is a very gentle treatment that requires no hospitalization and has been done in many patients.
Is It Comfortable?
Sclerotherapy is considered one of the most comfortable treatments available for veins. We will give you a numbing agent before the treatment.
When Do the Results Show?
The timing of the results will depend on your body. Some people see the benefits instantly. Other people achieve full results a few months after the treatment. Most people notice significant changes after a few days and see steady improvement in their veins for a few weeks following it.
How Are the Best Results Achieved?
We will give you some compression stockings to wear after your treatment. Using them for about two weeks will help you maximize your results. You should walk around soon after the treatment to circulate the blood.
Some patients find that they get the best results by scheduling multiple sessions. If you like, we will do a checkup appointment after your treatment to determine if this would be beneficial. The number of sessions you do might also be determined by the size of the area you want to address and the number of veins involved.
Can It Be Combined With Other Treatments for Veins?
Yes, but this is not always necessary. We can set up a consultation with you to go over all the options and make a plan that will address your needs specifically.
What Are The Benefits of Sclerotherapy?
It Is Fast
As we mentioned, the treatment time itself is usually under 30 minutes. The recovery time is also very quick. You will be able to walk out of the office, drive yourself home, and resume your normal activities almost immediately.
It Works
This treatment is up to 80% effective in all of the veins it treats. In addition to spider veins, it can also work to improve small varicose veins.
It Gives You Freedom to Wear What You Want
Since telangiectasia is generally a cosmetic issue, the most important benefit is how you feel about your appearance after the treatment. If you would prefer your legs without telangiectasia, we can help you get rid of the problem veins. Following their treatment, most patients feel more comfortable wearing skirts, shorts, swimming suits, and other clothing that shows the affected areas.
It Improves Your Circulation
Telangiectasia occurs as a result of broken veins that cannot release the blood that pools inside. With sclerotherapy, you can eliminate those veins and return the blood to a healthy circulatory pattern.
What Are Some Other Treatments for Telangiectasia?
We offer many treatments for vein conditions, which we can explain to you during a consultation. Here are a few of the most popular:
Laser Ablation
Laser ablation uses light technology to help your body clear veins that have become visible. It is done inside the vein using a small catheter and has a high rate of success. There is no scaring, and very little downtime.
Radiofrequency Ablation
This treatment is similar to laser ablation, but instead of using light, it uses energy waves. Like laser ablation, it is endovenous. This means that it is done inside the vein.
Ambulatory Phlebectomy
If you are worried that some of your veins are too large to respond to other treatments, ambulatory phlebectomy might be a good option for you. It is a minimally invasive procedure that uses little surgical incisions to remove the veins that no longer function well.
Goodbye, Spider Veins
While it does not go away on its own, telangiectasia is actually a very treatable condition. There are many effective, gentle options available, including sclerotherapy. For more information, please reach out to North Texas Vein & Vascular today at 214-888-4055.
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