Is a roadmap of blue, purple, red, and brown lines on your legs driving you crazy? Do noticeable blood vessels across your nose and cheeks have you searching the internet for a spider vein doctor? If you are in theWestlake, Middleburg Heights, and Lorain, OH area, help is nearby. The doctors at Associates in Dermatology offer leading-edge treatment for spider veins.
What causes spider veins?
Spider veins on legs occur when valves in veins stop working properly. These valves are meant to keep blood flowing back to the heart. When they falter, blood flows backward. As it pools in the vein, blood branches out into fine capillaries, resulting in spider veins. Weight gain, long periods of standing or sitting, and hormonal fluctuations may contribute to the condition.
Spider veins on the face may result from increased pressure (such as vomiting), excessive alcohol consumption, or certain medications. However, the most common cause is sun exposure, which enlarges superficial blood vessels and brings them closer to the surface of the skin. Rosacea, a chronic inflammatory disorder, can also present as visible blood vessels.
Common sense precautions can help you prevent spider veins:
- Regular daily exercise to maintain normal circulation
- Manage weight with a low-salt/high-fiber diet
- Do not cross legs
- Move around periodically when sitting or standing
- Elevate legs
- Wear support hosiery
- Apply high SPF, broad-spectrum sunscreen all over, every day
Spider vein treatment options
Since heredity is a factor, spider veins may appear even with a healthy lifestyle. Associates in Dermatology offers several options for spider vein removal.
Laser spider vein removal is the most popular. For facial veins near the surface and less than 3mm in diameter are appropriate candidates. During laser spider vein surgery, focused energy emitted by the device is absorbed by pigments in blood within the vein. The resulting thermal reaction causes the vein to dry up, and it is eventually absorbed.
Sclerotherapy spider veins treatment in Westlake, OH can be a good choice for finer blood vessels in the legs. A special solution is injected, causing the treated vein to close, shrink, and eventually fade or vanish entirely.
Both techniques have a good record for safety and effectiveness in the hands of the experienced professionals at Associates in Dermatology. Call (440) 482-8323 to schedule a consultation at any of our three offices.
