Spider Veins

What Are Spider Veins?

Spider veins, also called telangiectasias, are groups of small blood vessels that develop close to the surface of the skin. They appear red, blue, or purple and often take the appearance of a spiderweb. They are less than 1mm and are most commonly seen on the legs and face.

Typically, spider veins found in the legs will occur when the valves inside of your veins stop operating properly. This valve acts as a one-way ticket for blood to pass through on the way back to the heart. If it becomes weakened or damaged, the blood will struggle to flow in the proper direction. This can result in it pooling inside the vein instead, which is what leads to spider veins as the blood searches for a new place to go. Oftentimes, spider veins in the face are the result of your blood vessels bursting. This can be due to sun damage or increased pressure.

Spider veins affect many adults and tend to affect women more often than men. They can become more prevalent with age and there are a variety of factors that can increase a person’s chance of developing spider veins. This includes ageing, prolonged periods of sitting or standing, obesity, pregnancy, hormonal changes, weight gain, injury, and family history.

The majority of patients seeking treatment for the removal of spider veins are for cosmetic reasons. They often cause no symptoms or signs of concern.

How Spider Veins Are Treated

Laser Treatments

• Pulsed Dye Laser – The Pulsed Dye Laser is able to effectively treat and remove small veins on the body. The laser energy emitted by the device and applied to the skin causes the proteins in the vein wall to thicken. Over the next few weeks, the damaged vessels are then naturally eliminated by the immune system. After a few short treatments, most small vessels are treatable.

Non-Laser Treatments

• Sclerotherapy –  This treatment involves the injection of hypertonic saline (a “sugar solution”) into the affected vein(s) using a tiny needle. This will clog the vein, causing a mild bruise that will resolve on its own within 10 to 12 days. Meanwhile, your veins will also disappear during this time. Studies have shown that sclerotherapy as a treatment method for spider veins has an overall success rate of 60 to 80 percent.

What Areas Can Be Treated for Spider Veins?

Spider veins most commonly appear on your legs, feet and face. Spider vein treatments in Toronto, specifically the Pulsed Dye Laser and sclerotherapy, are generally used on the face and legs but can be used on any part of the body that is affected by this unwanted issue. During your consultation, it will be determined what treatment method is best for you.

What Results Can I Expect for Spider Veins?

You will likely require multiple treatment sessions with the pulsed dye laser, typically scheduled every 6 to 12 weeks. The treatment requires very minimal downtime and you can likely return to your everyday activities and daily routine following the procedure. You can expect a significantly diminished look to any spider veins you previously had. You may want to consider pairing the pulsed dye laser treatment with other treatment methods, such as sclerotherapy, for the best results. This is something you will need to discuss with your doctor during your initial consultation.

If you underwent spider vein treatment in Toronto using sclerotherapy techniques for small varicose veins or spider veins, you can most likely expect to see definite results within 3 to 6 weeks. Oftentimes, larger veins will require longer amounts of time before you see the results you are looking for, typically requiring 3 to 4 months. In both cases, multiple treatments are necessary in order to achieve optimal results.

How Long Do Spider Vein Treatment Results Last?

If you have decided to undergo the pulsed dye laser as a treatment method for, the results won’t be immediate. After the treatment session, the targeted vessels beneath your skin will steadily transform from a dark blue to a light red, before disappearing after 2 to 6 weeks. The appearance of your spider veins will only continue to improve with each following session.

You can expect to schedule a follow-up appointment roughly a month after your spider vein treatment in Toronto so your technician can check in on the results and determine if further treatment sessions are needed. It is recommended that you wait around six weeks before undergoing another sclerotherapy treatment in Toronto.

There is a possibility that after treatment, spider veins will reappear. The veins that were already treated generally don’t come back, but that does not mean that new veins won’t appear.

Are There Any Risks with Treatments for Spider Veins?

The pulsed dye laser treatment for spider veins in Toronto comes will a few potential side effects that are typically aligned with other kinds of laser treatments. This list includes blistering, burns, sensitive skin and skin discolouration. These side effects are not as serious and will generally diminish a few days after treatment. However, more serious side effects include nerve damage and blood clots. Generally, the more experience your technician has with the pulsed dye laser technology, the less risk you face.

There are a variety of temporary side effects you may experience with sclerotherapy spider vein treatment in Toronto. These side effects include bruising, small skin sores, raised red areas, darkened skin, multiple tiny red blood vessels. All of these concerns should disappear on their own anywhere between a few days after the procedure and several weeks. It is even possible that some of these issues may take months or even years to go away entirely.

More serious side effects that would require treatment of there own include inflammation, blood clots that may require drainage, air bubbles from the injections and a possible allergic reaction to the solution used for treatment. These complications are far less common but are all treatable. During your initial consultation, any potential side effects will be clearly outlined for you.