Spider Veins: Looking Like a Rand McNally Road Map?
When is the last time you felt confident wearing a pair of shorts? When was the last time you let your skirt go above the knee… above the calf…. or EVEN above the ANKLE? Starting to think a Rand-McNally road map was printed on your legs? These are things that many people have concerns about when leg veins are an issue.
Why do people develop spider veins or varicose? Well, like a lot of the things we see in our practice, heredity plays a major role in the development of these issues. Heredity is the number one reason for development of bad veins, but we also see them due to injuries and trauma.
What can I do about them? Glad you asked! For people with varicose veins(the larger, rope-like vessels), we typically refer you to a vascular surgeon. While these CAN be injected, many times they do better removed. Sometimes when these areas are injected, they can open back up and come back full force, so removal can be a better option. Doctors can do surgical procedures or “in the vein” type of lasers.
Spider veins are best treated with an injection called Sclerotherapy. Yes, I know lasers are around, but lasers typically are not the best treatment option for spider veins. Laser treatments can be painful, have potential for burning, and seldom produce the results we desire in spider veins. So, we treat our spider veins here with injections. This procedure involves injecting these veins with a solution that eliminates the vessels over a period of time. With the technology of new solutions that have recently been approved, Sclerotherapy can be virtually painless. If the treatment completely dissolves the vessel, then the same veins should not reappear.
What is my down time? If you want to use the words “down time” you can, but the only restrictions you have after injections are the mandatory wearing of medical compression hose for 2 weeks, and some restriction with exercise (no pounding or weight type exercises for the 2 weeks.) You will also be asked to refrain from taking any medicines that increase your risk of bleeding. (Aspirin, Motrin, Ibuprofen).
When is the best time to do this treatment? Winter is the best. Remember, you will be in compression hose for 2 weeks AND you may require a couple of treatments, so get treated while you are already wearing layers. Treatments are done 6 wks apart so starting now is important because spring is ONLY 12-16 wks away!!!! We want to make sure that you are ready and confident to show off those legs once warm weather presents itself!
For a consultation to see if Sclerotherapy is right for you, give us a call at (615) 771-7718.
Written by Michele Bailey, Nashville Nurse Injector and Sclerotherapist
*Do you have a topic, procedure, or product you want to know more about? Send your question to kendall@coolspringsplasticsurgery.net and look for the answer in the February newsletter!*