While most people know about varicose veins, there are not as many who will know about spider veins. Even fewer people will know how to get rid of spider veins. A spider vein lies just below the skin and tends to be purple, blue or red. They look like a spider’s web and that is why they have the name spider veins, although a vein doctor Paramus will know them as telangiectasias. They are not pleasant when they form, but most of the times are not as bad as fully-fledged varicose veins. They are not as bad to look at, but often you will want them removed one way or another.
Why do they form?
The normal reason you develop these will be poor circulation, although not in the veins that turn into spider veins. Blood has to be carried around the body and the job belongs to veins that are set deep into the body. Other veins close to the surface of the skin – superficial veins – carry a smaller amount in the same direction. When you are younger, there is not much of a risk of developing them although it is not out of the question and knowing how to get rid of spider veins or at least who to go to will place you in good stead when it comes to treatment.
Each vein has a valve that lets the blood in and another one that sends it onto the next section of the leg. Over time these valves can become damaged and when this happens, they are no longer effective, and the blood starts to flow back where it came from. It begins to pool at the ankles, and as well as not looking particularly nice, in the more difficult cases the area can become ulcerated. The veins swell and spider veins are developed, and you need to visit a vein doctor Paramus. Figures have been presented regarding the extent of the problem in the USA and it found:
- 54% of women are likely to develop these veins
- 45% of men are likely to develop these veins.
While spider veins are not as noticeable or have the same symptoms as varicose veins, they will still be visible and cause issues including:
- Fatigue – At times it will be hard to move the legs a lot
- Cramps – Usually this will happen at night and when it happens can seriously disrupt your sleep pattern.
- Pain – This can be when mobile and resting. Try to raise the legs if you can and this should do a little to alleviate it.
- Swelling – This can range from minor to quite severe.
- Restlessness – Again when this happens at night, it can disrupt sleep and leave you feeling tired during the day.
Who is going to suffer?
Normally it is going to be adults who suffer most and women in particular and they will want to know how to get rid of spider veins. Estrogen is a catalyst, so that is why. As pregnancy is an issue, women again can suffer, although there are reasons that can be applicable to either gender. Weight is going to damage the valves and the sort of job carried out – anyone who sits or stands for a long period of time could see the veins appear on their legs. An injury to the leg can be the start of the veins developing, as can family history. If your descendants had varicose veins or blood clots, you could find that you inherit the issue. It is considered that there is a 90% chance of them developing if both parents had them.
Do varicose veins go away after pregnancy?
The veins can form during pregnancy and the more pregnancies there are, the more likely it is that the veins will get severe. If there are one or two pregnancies, the vein doctor Paramus will explain that they will fade over time. It is when there are three or more pregnancies that you need to consider “do varicose veins go away after pregnancy?” The bad news is that they will not most of the time. Some may fade but you are bound to be left with some veins that have not returned to normal.
What are the causes and symptoms?
Chronic venous insufficiency is the main cause and knowing the cause will be ideal when you want to know how to get rid of spider veins. When there is pressure placed on the veins so that they lead to the formation of damaged veins that become known as spider veins. There are not that many symptoms, so it tends to be the sight of them that alerts a sufferer to the fact that they are there. Unfortunately, there are some people who do have effects and they can include:
- Heaviness in the legs
- Swellings, especially around the ankles
- Throbbing and itching at night
- Tingling and cramping
- Ulceration can happen in the more severe cases.
How would a vein doctor Paramus treat varicose veins?
A vein doctor Paramus will know how to get rid of spider veins. They will be able to tell if there needs to be anything more than compression stockings used. There are non-invasive treatments; but if there is no alternative, the varicose veins can be removed surgically.
Compression stockings will have to be the correct strength so should be prescribed by the vein doctor Paramus. They will have to be worn for a period of months before it is possible to tell if they have worked. Exercise will be the next thing to try. The more weight you can lose the better. Then, there will be less pressure placed on the valves. Exercising the calf muscles is going to help as well. The muscles in the calf will move in such a way that the blood will carry on towards the heart and you will find that the circulation in that area has got better. As mentioned early raised legs will be best and they should be above the level of the heart. This is one treatment that shows you how to get rid of spider veins.
Treatments from a vein doctor Paramus
The doctor you visit will know how to get rid of spider veins and should talk you through the options. It is unlikely that they will have to resort to surgery at this stage and it is only when the spider veins get worse and are varicose veins that this will be back on the table. Before any procedure is carried out there should be a full examination and you will be asked a lot about your medical history. The answers that you give will lead to the doctor making the decision regarding which form of treatment they will perform. It is for this reason that you should be totally honest as you don’t want either a treatment that does not do enough or to undergo something that you could have avoided.
Sclerotherapy
If the spider veins are quite a problem, you could find that the advice the vein doctor Paramus had given you about home treatment has not worked. The next option that will be presented is sclerotherapy. Most of the time this is going to be something that you want to have done to make the legs look better. There could be symptoms, but they are not normally so bad that treatment is undergone. This will be carried out in the doctors’ office and while a couple of visits may have to be made, it will not require time of work or a major change in lifestyle. A chemical will be injected into the vein and it will shut off and not allow blood to enter it anymore. The legs will have a much better appearance, but there is the risk that there will still be some aching. Often you will be advised to work compression stockings for up to 6 weeks.
Laser therapy
When the spider veins are very small, it is likely that laser treatment will be used to get rid of them and the vein doctor Paramus will tell you that this is one of the ideal ways they know of how to get rid of spider veins. Even the smallest of them can be dealt with. At times there could be a joint attack of laser treatment and sclerotherapy, but a lot of the time laser treatment on its own will be enough. A skin test may have to be taken as there are certain types of skin that will not react well, and so laser therapy will not be recommended. It will also not be suitable if the veins have developed due to chronic venous insufficiency as it will not be affective.
Vein surgery
This is the final option for a vein doctor Paramus, and they will only perform surgery when there is no benefit seen after one or more of the previous procedures have taken place. This is going to be more serious and will require a hospital visit as it cannot be carried out under local anesthetic. You may be allowed to go home on the same day providing there is someone who will be able to look after you, but the recovery period is going to be longer and require more of a lifestyle change for a while.
Time is likely to be taken from work as the legs will need to have time to recover and this has to be accepted when you understand how to get rid of spider veins. It will also be advisable to refrain from exercise for a while and let the legs rest. Don’t be afraid to let the person looking after you do the work as the less time you spend on your legs for a while after the procedure the better.
Endovenous laser treatment.
This again only needs a local anesthetic and is one of the easier procedures for a vein doctor Paramus. A cut is made, and a thin tube is passed along it. Heat goes along the tube and enters the vein. Having each leg treated will normally take around 45 minutes and after that a short stay as an outpatient is recommended. Compression stockings will be needed for up to two weeks.
Radiofrequency ablation and how to get rid of spider veins
Again, a tube is going to be inserted into the leg by the vein doctor Paramus, but here it will be around the area of the knee. Radiofrequency energy will be sent along the tube until it reaches the vein and when it hits it, the vein wall will collapse in on itself. Blood will not be able to access the vein but there is nothing to worry about as other veins will become available and the blood will still be able to continue its journey around the body. It is likely that the area will be bruised for some time and compression stockings will have to be worn for a couple of weeks, but it is ideal when you want to know how to get rid of spider veins.
It should be explained to you by the vein doctor Paramus that you may have to return to them for a few treatments. If the first session does not work and there are still spider veins showing, it does not mean that the doctor does not know how to get rid of spider veins. It simply means that they are a little stronger than was at first thought, but a couple of sessions should be all that is needed. Unfortunately, having the veins removed does not mean that you will not get more spider veins. The ones that have been dealt with cannot return, but there is nothing to say that more veins will not become damaged at a later date. At least this time you will know what to expect and at what stage you should make an appointment with a vein doctor.