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What to Do When You’re Caught in a Spider Vein’s Web

When it comes to spider veins, many adults get tangled in their web. You might not even know you have spider veins right away, as they appear primarily on the legs and feet. Though they affect upward of 50% of adults, how they form and how to get rid of them isn’t widespread knowledge.

What are They?
According to the Mayo Clinic, spider veins are a form of varicose vein, though they’re much milder than their bulging counterpart. In fact, nearly 17% of men and up to 33% of women suffer from the symptoms of varicose veins. Though spider veins often don’t raise the skin like varicose veins, the network of veins appears at the surface of the skin, often forming web-like trails in thin red lines.

What are the Symptoms?
Spider veins usually don’t have symptoms other than their cosmetic appearance at the surface of the skin. They often affect women more frequently than men as a consequence of pregnancy, and usually appear in similar locations as varicose veins: the arms and feet. Sometimes, an individual with spider veins may experience occasional throbbing, itching, or aching that get worse after periods of sitting or standing, but luckily, it’s rare for a spider vein to cause serious damage.

Treatment

Non-Therapy
If you don’t want to engage in therapy to treat your spider veins, a dermatologist may recommend the use of compression stockings. These support stockings will promote blood flow in your legs and feet, and come in a variety of pressure strengths depending on your needs. You can also exercise more to promote weight loss and avoid sitting or standing for too long.

Therapy
There are many forms of treatment therapy available to reduce the appearance of spider veins. Sclerotherapy is a liquid injection procedure where the dermatologist injects a liquid at the site of the vein to promote its collapse and dissolution. Vein surgery is performed in serious cases; this will often result in a medical operation to strip the vein via incisions through the skin. Different laser options are available as well. This uses a beam of light that damages the vein and causes it to fade away. Visit your local dermatology center to find out which option is right for you.

The best way to prevent spider veins is eating healthy and partaking in regular physical exercise. If you have spider veins, consider visiting your dermatologist to discuss your options and get more information.