Spider Veins FAQs
Tiny spider veins on your face, body or legs can be a source of self-esteem issues and may cause you to have to put on extra make-up, refrain from certain activities or inhibit you from wearing the clothes you want to wear. At Beach Aesthetics we strive for the very best results when treating spider veins by utilizing multiple treatment techniques, including:
Spider veins are tiny web-like veins beneath your skin that look red, blue or purple in appearance. Most commonly seen on the legs, they can also be found on the face, back, chest and abdomen. These veins are very small in size, ranging from 0.1 to 1.0 mm in diameter.
Spider veins are usually flat but can sometimes be slightly raised over the skin’s surface. In general, spider veins do not cause pain. However, some patients do report occasional itching or burning over their spider veins.
Spider veins are much smaller than varicose veins. These tiny veins measure less than 1 mm in diameter and are typically flat or at most minimally raised over the skin’s surface. Spider veins may occur by themselves or may be associated with varicose veins.
Varicose veins are considerably larger than spider veins. Appearing as ropy, twisted veins, they measure greater than 3 mm in diameter and typically bulge far out from the skin’s surface. Varicose veins are associated with venous insufficiency, an abnormality of the valves in the veins under skin’s surface which causes blood to go the wrong way down the veins, making them engorged.
In general, it is hard why any person gets spider veins. Spider veins are a very common problem, and are estimated to occur in 30-60% of the adult population sometime within their lifetime. This problem is seen in both men and women, and can be seen in all skin types. However, there are certain risk factors for spider veins, as seen below.
- Heredity
- Jobs that require prolonged standing
- Hormonal influences
- Pregnancy
- Obesity
- Birth control pills
- History of blood clots
- Trauma
- Prior varicose vein treatments
In general, there are multiple treatment options for spider veins, including:
The various treatment options for spider veins each have their advantages and disadvantages, with each having situations and circumstances where they are best utilized. To explore and better understand which treatment option is best for you, a consultation with a vein expert who has all these options available is highly recommended.
In general, any source of venous insufficiency which is causing varicose veins should be treated before you have your spider veins treated. Otherwise, you will likely not have a good outcome of spider vein treatment and the spider veins will likely come back.
Contact Beach Aesthetics at (310) 986-6500 and make an appointment today. Our expert team will take a careful look at your concerns, explain the various treatment options available to you and help you to create a treatment plan geared towards your particular needs and goals.
