Myth: Spider veins are forever.
We’ve all seen them before–those dreaded spider veins. But what are those ugly little squiggles underneath the skin?
Spider veins are similar to varicose veins, save that they are smaller and are colored red, purple, or blue. They also twist and turn and are most visible on the legs and face. While spider veins don’t typically cause medical problems, they can be eliminated for medical or cosmetic reasons with procedures such as laser treatments and IPL photo facials.
Who gets spider veins? Spider veins are caused by increased pressure in the veins. While doctors don’t know exactly why some people develop spider veins and others don’t, they do know that the tendency to get them is hereditary, and that they’re more common as you get older. It’s also known that people who stand for a long time, such as nurses and teachers, tend to increase the amount of pressure in the veins of the legs, and are therefore more likely to develop spider veins. If you’ve got spider veins, you may also experience swelling, or a feeling of heaviness or tiredness in your legs.
An Ounce of Prevention
But let’s talk about prevention first before tackling treatments. How can you lower your risk of ending up with spider veins? Here’s a few tips:
- Relieve some pressure. You can try to lessen the pressure on your legs that can lead to spider veins by keeping your weight down and avoiding standing or sitting for long periods. Experts recommend taking a walk every 30 minutes if you have to sit for long periods and avoiding crossing your legs while seated.
- Keep the blood flowing. Exercising your legs by running or walking can increase leg circulation and strengthen your leg muscles.
- Get support. If you’re going to be on your feet, you should wear a lightweight compression stocking, which can go a long way towards preventing and managing spider vein symptoms, including swelling. Try a lightweight compression sock with a gradient of 15 or 20 milliliters of mercury (a measure of how much pressure it puts on your veins). You can find these stockings in pharmacies and medical supply stores.
- Prop up your feet. Elevating your legs is another main treatment for spider veins. Your legs must be elevated higher than your heart for best effect.
- Slather on sunscreen. If you have light skin, sun exposure can lead to spider veins on your cheeks or nose, so wear sunscreen to minimize the damage.
- Treat existing varicose veins. Varicose veins are larger, ropy looking veins with nonworking valves, a problem that allows blood to collect inside them. Having your varicose veins treated can reduce the pressure in the legs and prevent the development of additional spider veins.
Get Rid of Those Spiders for Good
If you already have spider veins, don’t fret. There’s two medspa treatments that effortlessly banish spider veins for good:
IPL Photo Facials
IPL photo facials work by using a broad-spectrum light source that penetrates multiple layers of skin. This type of photo facial primarily targets the lower layers of skin (dermis) while leaving the top layers of skin (epidermis) unaffected. The heat generated from the light promotes healing of the skin within, treating a number of different dermatological issues, such as spider veins.
The treatment process itself is straightforward. Before the IPL treatment a medical professional will apply a cold gel to the target area, and you’ll be required to wear protective eyewear. The treatment, lasts around 20 minutes, during which a medical professional will gently apply the IPL hand piece to your skin so that healing light rays can be delivered to the skin’s surface using precise pulses. Most IPL procedures are virtually painless, but more sensitive people might experience mild discomfort – a feeling not unlike a rubber band being snapped against skin. Photo facials typically require little to no recovery time. Following treatment, you can return to your normal activities. More intense IPL treatments, however, may produce sunburn-like symptoms for up to two weeks after the procedure.
IPL photo facial treatments call for five treatment sessions spaced three weeks apart to obtain desired results.
If you want to dramatically diminish the appearance of spider veins, you must be diligent about scheduling treatment sessions. IPL photo facial treatments call for five treatment sessions spaced three weeks apart to obtain desired results. In some cases those results can be seen after only the first treatment! And skin continues to improve with each successive treatment.
Laser resurfacing works like this: light energy is delivered through a special laser hand piece to the targeted vein in a series of short pulses. The blood vessels then absorb the light energy, leaving the surrounding tissue unaffected. This heat absorption causes a coagulation of the blood vessel, which is subsequently absorbed by your body – and voilà – the spider veins are gone!
The number of laser treatments needed depends on the size and depth of each spider vein.
What’s a laser resurfacing treatment like? First the doctor identifies the veins to be treated. Then they proceed to deliver pulses of laser light energy along the length of the vessel starting with the largest veins first. The treatment session doesn’t last very long, and most patients report little discomfort. However, some do experience a mild burning sensation as the laser is being pulsed. The number of laser treatments needed depends on the size and depth of each spider vein. For optimal results, multiple treatments may be necessary, spaced three to four weeks apart.
Say Goodbye to Spider Veins with LaserAway
Want to get rid of spider veins? Choose LaserAway. LaserAway is proud to be one of the largest medspa providers in the United States. The medical staff at LaserAway pride themselves on being the best in the business. They’re certified in administering laser procedures and use only the most cutting-edge laser technology and techniques. You’ll always feel at ease with LaserAway. So don’t hesitate to contact us.
If you would like to learn more about LaserAway’s medical spa services, or would like to set up a free, no obligation consultation, please email us at LaserAway.com or call us at (888) 965-2737.