Patient Education: How To Prevent And Treat Spider Veins

Spider veins are said to be one of the most annoying medical phenomena. It's very irritating and unappealing to see a network of purple veins on your face or legs. Even though they don't cause any significant harm themselves, they are very undesirable. They can be a symptom of any significant venous problem, so it's best to get them examined. To give you a better understanding, discussed below is the definition of spider veins, how to prevent them, and how to treat them.

What are Spider Veins?

Spider veins are small veins whose diameter is usually less than 1mm. They always appear in clusters, usually on the face or legs. Although they aren't painful or harmful themselves, they serve as an indicator of any significant venous issue. Even though they don't cause any medical harm, they're still undesirable and can sometimes irritate the affected area.

Development of Spider Veins

There are a lot of factors that contribute to the development of these veins. Some of them are as below.

1. Obesity
2. Hormonal changes
3. Heredity
4. Standing or sitting for long periods

Prevention Of Spider Veins

It's often best to take precautionary measures to prevent a disease rather than treating it later on. The first line of defense should be prevention. Spider veins are usually caused by a disturbance or disruption in the blood flow. If you can improve your blood flow, the probability of developing this condition becomes very low.

Below are a few things you can do to ensure your blood flow is perfect, so you don't fall victim to this condition.

1. Maintain Healthy Weight

Maintaining a healthy weight is of immense importance if you wish to prevent spider veins since obesity is one of the causes of spider veins. If you're overweight, you need to have a balanced diet and start working out to get yourself in good shape. It's one of the best ways to prevent having spider veins.

2. Get Regular Physical Activity

One of the significant causes of spider veins is prolonged sitting or standing. It's best to be involved in any physical activity regularly. By being physically active every day, you're ensuring that the blood is circulating properly in your veins. The primary cause of spider veins is poor blood flow, so the blood flow will remain perfect as long as you work out daily.

3. Don't Stand Or Sit For Prolonged Periods.

In this day and age, most people have jobs that require them to sit for hours. Sitting for long hours is extremely harmful because it's one of the most common factors which causes spider veins. If you have a job that requires you to sit and stand for prolonged periods, you must take some time out to walk a bit for the blood to flow correctly, and you don't risk falling victim to this condition.

4. Wear Compression Stockings

Compression stockings are a great alternative to help with blood flow. They boost the blood flow by increasing pressure on the veins, and this gives the legs a bit of a boost, keeping the blood from flowing correctly.

Treatment of Spider Veins

If you take all the necessary precautions and still develop spider veins, the below treatments are sure to help you out.

5. Sclerotherapy

Sclerotherapy is an excellent treatment for treating spider veins. A solution is injected into the veins through a small needle which irritates the lining of the veins. Due to the irritation, the veins collapse and disappear over time. Therefore, having consultation from a Venous Specialist will identify the intensity of your condition better and prescribe proper treatment. The treatment varies from patient to patient. Most patients are often cured with 3 to 5 treatments.

6. Veinwave Laser Treatment

This laser treatment is used to remove the spider veins from the face or the nose, which Sclerotherapy cannot treat. An extremely thin needle is used to emit radiofrequency, which damages the vein. The Veinwave Laser treatment offers immediate results, and the targeted cells die and are then absorbed by the body.

Spider veins aren't primarily harmful; they just wipe out the beauty of the face and body. They do itch sometimes and can be a symptom of deep venous issues. However, preventing them is not a tough job. All you need to do is eat a balanced diet and work out daily as these will make sure the blood flows properly through your veins. If preventative measures fail, there are treatments to cure spider veins, and the two most effective treatments are mentioned above as your guide.