Spider Vein Treatment
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Rosen Vein Care
David Ian Rosen, MD
Vein Specialist located in Northbrook, IL
Spider veins may be small, but their dark blue-purple color and their tendency to spread out into web-like shapes makes them very visible and highly embarrassing. As a board-certified specialist in venous medicine, David Rosen, MD, at Rosen Vein Care in Chicago, Illinois, has helped many patients get rid of their spider veins using today’s top treatment: sclerotherapy. If you have questions about spider veins or you would like to schedule an appointment, call or use the online booking feature today.
Spider Vein Treatment Q & A
What are spider veins?
Spider veins develop when tiny veins close to the skin’s surface become enlarged and visible. As the dark purple and blue veins appear, they spread out in a shape resembling a spider web.
Though spider veins don’t pose a threat to your health, they’re an embarrassing cosmetic problem because they most often occur in areas where they’re very visible, such as your face and legs.
What causes spider veins?
Like all the veins in your body, spider veins contain one-way valves that keep blood flowing toward your heart. When a valve weakens, it allows blood to flow in the wrong direction, a condition called venous insufficiency.
As a result, blood accumulates in the veins, making the veins enlarge and causing spider veins.
What increases my risk of developing spider veins?
Risk factors that increase your chances of developing spider veins include:
- Getting older
- Family history
- Direct injury
- Being overweight
- Sitting or standing for a long time
- Hormonal changes
Hormone changes that occur during pregnancy and menopause, or when you take hormonal medications, may weaken the vein walls.
Will I develop symptoms due to spider veins?
Spider veins seldom cause symptoms. However, they may be a sign of other vein problems. For example, venous insufficiency in larger veins may cause high pressure that contributes to spider veins.
Since venous insufficiency causes varicose veins, spider veins may also be associated with symptoms such as restless or heavy legs and leg fatigue, swelling, or cramps.
How are spider veins treated?
Dr. Rosen treats spider veins using the gold standard option, sclerotherapy. During sclerotherapy, he injects a sclerosing agent, which is a medication that makes the vein walls collapse.
After the treated veins close, they’re gradually reabsorbed by your body, making them naturally fade away over time. Your body redirects the blood through other veins, restoring normal, healthy circulation.
Dr. Rosen offers three types of sclerotherapy treatments:
- Liquid sclerotherapy, which is injected with a tiny needle
- Foam sclerotherapy, which uses a foam that expands to cover larger spider veins
- Ultrasound-guided foam sclerotherapy, to see and treat spiders veins that are below the surface
Sclerotherapy treatments typically take around 30 minutes. You may schedule more than one session, depending on the number of veins you want to treat. When treating spider veins in your legs, Dr. Rosen asks you to wear compression stockings for a short time.
You can safely and effectively eliminate spider veins with treatment at Rosen Vein Care. Call or schedule an appointment online today.
