What are Spider Veins?

Spider veins, or telangiectasias to give them their medical name, are clusters of tiny blood vessels which develop close to the surface of the skin. 

Usually found on the face and legs, and often appearing red, blue, or purple in colour, their pattern resembles a spider web, hence the name. 

More common in the nose and cheeks of fair-skinned people, spider veins are often more noticeable in the cold months of winter.

What causes Spider Veins?

The exact cause of spider veins is often unclear, but several factors may contribute to their development, including genetics, hormones, and exposure to the elements. 

Pregnant women have a higher rate of spider veins with the hormonal changes, as well as the extra pressure on the vein walls with increased blood flow. Deeper varicose veins can also lead to superficial spider veins of the legs.

Environmental causes can bring on changes in the skin, especially sun exposure, which widens blood vessels and draws them closer to the surface. 

Constant battery by the wind can cause the face to flush and vessels to burst, which is why old fishermen seem to be plagued with this condition.

Frequent alcohol consumption can also lead to spider veins, especially on the face. Alcohol can dilate the facial veins temporarily, leading to broken blood vessels and redness on the face.

What can be done about Spider Veins?

There are options available for spider vein treatment, starting with a change in lifestyle.  

If acne or rosacea is the underlying cause, the doctor may prescribe an oral or topical antibiotic. 

If the condition isn’t treatable with lifestyle changes, then further options may be considered.

Spider Vein Treatment

Microsclerotherapy

​Microsclerotherapy is considered by most vein experts to be the best way of treating spider veins, especially in the legs. 

The treatment uses a chemical agent called a sclerosant, which is injected into the vein using a very fine needle. This destroys the vein wall, causing it to shut down, stopping the blood from flowing. 

Once this happens, the body’s defence mechanism treats the unused vein as a bruise, gradually re-absorbing the tissue into the body.

The side-effects of microsclerotherapy sometimes include bruising and swelling, and usually, more than one treatment is required.

IPL and Vascular Lasers

Alternatives to microsclerotherapy, Intense Pulsed Light (IPL)  and vascular lasers use high-energy light pulses to destroy spider veins.  

IPL is very effective on tiny spider veins, blush areas, spider Naevi and hereditary telangiectatic matting (sock like distribution of masses of tiny vessels over ankle and foot). 

Healing is similar to a mild case of sunburn, with the slight possibility of developing a crust or blister. This may take from five to ten days to heal, and very, very rarely results in scarring of any kind.

Book in for a consultation for spider vein treatment

It’s ironic that facial veins are some of the smallest in your body, but when they break, they can have the biggest impact on your appearance.

Spider veins affect both men and women of all ages and can damage your confidence, but thankfully, with the latest spider vein treatment, we can remedy a variety of conditions, all with a minimum of discomfort and time.

If you suffer from spider veins, make the decision to do something about it now, before it starts to affect your everyday life.
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If you have any questions about spider vein treatment, please don’t hesitate to contact us today.

Our experienced medical staff will be happy to help in any way they can.