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The Dangers of Leaving Varicose Veins Untreated

vchen2570@gmail.com — Thu, 30 Mar 2017 22:07:32 +0000

Varicose veins, the ropy cord-like veins that bulge beneath the skin, are common enough, especially when age, weight, pregnancy, and heredity are factors. But just because they are common and frequently harmless doesn’t mean they should be left untreated.

There are people with varicose veins who are lucky to experience no pain or discomfort with their milder cases. However, many patients suffering from varicose veins will find that the condition can cause itchiness in the areas around the bulges, and that varicose veins in the legs often lead to leg discomfort and fatigue, as well as pain and swelling of the skin. These symptoms can be alleviated by wearing compression stockings and elevating the legs, or losing weight, but the varicose veins and the negative effects won’t go away on their own.

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Because varicose veins are caused by weakened venous walls, causing blood to pool in the lower extremities, nothing can be done to re-strengthen the veins. Therefore, a licensed vascular surgeon or vein specialist should be consulted for treatment.

So what are the actual dangers of untreated varicose veins?

The most serious and extreme effect of varicose veins would be deep vein thrombosis, a blood clot that could move through the body and cause a life-threatening pulmonary embolism.

In other cases, untreated varicose veins could lead to a hardening of the tissues in the legs known as lipodermosclerosis, caused by inflammation of the tissues surrounding the varicose veins. Lipodermosclerosis leaves sufferers with heaviness in the legs and a painful tenderness.

Because the venous walls are weak, untreated varicose veins can also seep blood into the surrounding tissues, which will inflame the tissues and cause a dark discoloration known as hyperpigmentation. This is not merely a superficial condition, as the blood seepage can cause the inflammation that leads to lipodermosclerosis. On top of this, the varicose veins can actually lead to the surrounding skin becoming not only sensitive but fragile and easily broken. Because the blood has already been pooling in the varicose veins, a simple scratch or bump could lead to excessive blood loss if untreated.

Similarly, the skin can break down around the untreated varicose veins, causing venous leg ulcers. Imagine a bed sore on the legs to get an impression of what can happen if left untreated. This is almost always a result of prolonged untreated varicose veins leading to a condition called chronic venous insufficiency (CVI), which includes long term fluid buildup in the swollen tissues surrounding the varicose veins. If an ulcer develops, it is best to see your doctor immediately for treatment.

If you have any of the above symptoms persisting, don’t wait to consult your vascular surgeon or venous specialist. In the case of suspected deep vein thrombosis, go to emergency care immediately.

The good news is that varicose veins are easily treatable, usually involving a short office visit to receive sclerotherapy—a series of injections of sclerosant, which damages the inside lining of the vein. The subsequent scarring causes the vein to close. Because varicose veins are a medical condition that can have very harmful effects if left untreated, most health plans will cover the procedure. For more information on sclerotherapy for treatment of persistent varicose veins or to schedule an appointment, contact us at 760-944-9263 or visit us at www.sdveininstitute.com.

Varicose Veins: Symptom of Aging or a Sign of Something Harmful?

vchen2570@gmail.com — Fri, 09 Sep 2016 22:28:02 +0000

First off, the heading isn’t meant to make anyone with blue rope veins on their legs live in fear. But it is important to know that varicose veins are a medical, and not a merely cosmetic, condition.
Varicose veins and even spider veins are signs of chronic vein disease. When you have vein disease, you have a higher risk of developing deep vein thrombosis (DVT), a clot in the vein, because of poor blood flow in the weak veins. If it breaks free and travels to the lung, the consequences could be serious—this becomes a pulmonary embolism (PE), and of the 300,000-600,000 people who get DVT or PE each year, 60,000 to 100,000 will die from it. In some cases, DVT or PE can lead to a lifelong disability, or lead to chronic leg pain and swelling that will never go away.
When you hear the term chronic vein disease, or CVD, it usually refers to chronic conditions that are related to the abnormal or diseased veins. Varicose and spider veins are included in this, as are leg swelling and pain. But chronic vein disease also refers to the following:
– Chronic venous insufficiency
– Skin changes on the leg
– Leg ulcers
– Phlebitis
– Vascular malformations
There are other symptoms of CVD aside from the ugly veins, and it should trigger an immediate trip to the doctor if you have any of the following:
– Warmth of the skin
– Redness and itching
– Leg fatigue that won’t go away
– Lightheadedness
– Rapid pulse and, in extreme cases,
– Chest pain
As I’ve discussed in previous columns, vein disease can happen to anyone, at any age, including young women and men. It is hereditary, with about 75% of patients having a family history of chronic venous disease.
Unfortunately, there is no cure for varicose or spider veins, and once you get them, they will come back, as they are symptoms of a weakness in the veins where blood can pool. However, it is important to have them checked by doctors. While the basic treatment of wearing compression stockings can help, it is best to have them removed with non-invasive treatments such as sclerotherapy, as well as making lifestyle changes to respond to your vein disease and keep it in check.
To have your veins checked and treated, visit us atwww.sdveininstitute.com or contact us at 760-944-9263. Make sure you also visit your primary care physician to monitor your vein disease.

What Profile? When Spider Veins Happen to Young People

vchen2570@gmail.com — Thu, 28 Jul 2016 19:02:04 +0000

Spider veins—the bane of elderly women, or so the myth goes. But the truth is that anyone can get spider veins, including younger women and even men. So what are they, exactly?

Spider veins aren’t quite the same thing as varicose veins, which are the more dilated and ropelike veins under the skin and which can be quite painful (and possibly harmful to the health if left untreated). Instead, spider veins, known as telangiectasias, are enlarged venules, which are the very small veins and blood vessels. Fortunately, in most cases, spider veins are painless.

There are many reasons people get spider veins—they are caused by increased pressure on the veins. As we age, our venous walls weaken and then blood can pool (the typical cause of varicose veins, for example). But what about in younger people?

Most commonly, spider veins are associated with pregnancy, as the body undergoes a tremendous amount of pressure. But who else is at risk?

Similarly, people who are obese are more prone to them as their blood vessels are also under greater pressure, as the body has to work hard to circulate the blood up from the feet and to the heart.

But the truth is that perfectly healthy and even fit people can get these pesky veins. Young athletes are often prone to them, especially behind the knees, as their strenuous workouts will elevate the blood pressure, and their legs often take a pounding. Spider veins appear when the body’s vascular system is under stress. The extra pressure in the veins makes them bulge and expand. In fact, even though they may be unsightly, they are quite normal.

For some people, spider veins are genetic, which means nothing you can do can truly prevent them from occurring, and they can show up at any time. It’s part of your makeup. And if your parent had spider veins as a teenager, there is a good chance you will, too.

The appearance of spider veins is not something that should worry you, and in general, there are no health risks associated. However, there are some very rare cases of genetic conditions that can cause spider veins to appear in multiple patches on the arms and torso, so if you spot these, have them checked out just to be safe. It’s always good to have any type of venous condition on your medical record, and you’ll always want to know of any genetic predisposition that can lead to something more harmful than a cluster of dark veins.

But you shouldn’t live in fear of spider veins; in most of the cases, they are completely benign. You should be aware, though, that they won’t go away on their own. To actually remove spider veins, you will need to undergo the very simple laser therapy.

When treating spider veins with laser therapy, the laser damages the blood vessels, making them clot and dry up, at which point, they will get reabsorbed by your tissue. This non-invasive treatment can be done in the office on a very short lunch break, for instance, or after track practice or yoga class. This treatment is different from sclerotherapy, generally used for the treatment of varicose veins, which entails an injection of medicine directly into the blood vessel. The difference with laser therapy is that after treatment, you should avoid sun exposure for up to ten days to prevent a browning or discoloration of the skin. As with any laser treatment to the skin, there may be a small amount of spotting that appears in the area of treatment, but this will go away in a short amount of time and is nothing you should worry about.

Be aware, though, that once you’ve gotten spider veins, they are likely to return, especially if you continue the same activities that caused them in the first place. If your veins are prone to swelling and bulging when under pressure, the rest of your veins will continue to do so; treatment is not a cure or prevention.

For some people, spider veins can cause insecurity—they aren’t called “butterfly veins,” after all—and there is nothing wrong with wanting them removed. The key with laser therapy—as with every treatment—is to choose a doctor or specialist who is board-certified and experienced in the procedure.

If you’re tired of your spider veins and are ready for laser treatment, or if you want to know more about the procedure or sclerotherapy, contact us at 760-944-9263 or visit us at www.sdveininstitute.com.

3 Common Spider Vein Myths

vchen2570@gmail.com — Tue, 23 Sep 2014 15:24:58 +0000

You love it in San Diego. You love the warm weather, you want to wear shorts in fall. You want to go to the beach, you want to head out to the golf coarse. But something is stopping you, it’s those spider veins. Those tiny, thread like veins that look like a purple or blue road map on your legs. Treating spider veins is incredibly easy but patients suffering from this form of venous disease put it off because of myths surrounding treatments.

Here we will dispel those myths and give you the reality…

Myth #1: TREATMENT IS PAINFUL

Origin:

Most people who think that treatment is painful are thinking about old treatments they have had for varicose veins. Vein stripping and ligation was far more common years and was a surgical procedure. Today we use two common treatment options for spider veins, sclerotherapy and laser treatments. Sclerotherapy involves injections directly into the vein to cause its collapse, people just think “pain” whenever they hear injections. Laser treatments are a natural evolution of treatments like EVLT which would insert a probe into the vein.

Reality:

Treatment is not painful! Sclerotherapy uses needs with the said type of needles that are used in Botox. In the hands of a skilled physician you will feel almost nothing during the injection process. For laser treatments we use an Nd:YAG laser. This laser is extremely powerful but almost completely painless. We use a separate cooling machine to cool the area before the laser is used. In almost all cases that alleviates the need for even light topical anesthesia. In short, modern spider vein treatments are pain free.

Myth #2: TREATMENT IS EXPENSIVE

Origin:

Again, some of this misconception comes from past treatments for varicose and spider veins. Old techniques such as ligation and vein stripping were actual operations. The doctor needed to reserve an operating room, etc. Those inherent costs have to be passed directly to the end consumer. It was an economic reality of the time.

Reality:

The reality is that spider vein treatments can be cost effective. You should consult with the physician when it comes to pricing. You will see “discounted” treatments for as little as $250. That may seem like a good deal but it may be for “one area” and it may involve treatment from someone who isn’t a doctor or surgeon. We encourage our patients to take advantage of our free consultation where we can provide pricing based on your specific case. Spider veins are usually a cosmetic treatment and out of pocket expense, you should ask questions so there are no financial surprises.

Myth #3: ANY TREATMENT CENTER CAN PROVIDE GREAT RESULTS

Origin:

There is not so much of an origin to this myth but rather the abundance of marketing around spider vein treatments recently from medical spas. Today it seems like anyone with a laser or a syringe is happy to provide treatment. Dermatologists offices are offering treatment even though it’s outside of the core area of expertise. Treatment for any venous disease – including spider veins – should not be treated as a commodity as should be conducted be a trained vascular surgeon.

Reality:

This is the most dangerous myth that is out there about spider and varicose vein treatment. It’s important for the consumer to know that all laser aren’t created equal. At the San Diego Vein Institute we use different laser for different procedures. Mismatching the laser to the treatment need can result is poor results, increased pain, and an overall bad experience. Additionally, our physicians work to stay up on the latest advances in areas such as foam sclerotherapy. Make sure physicians in the practice are board certified and specialize in vein treatment.

5 Facts about Varicose Veins

vchen2570@gmail.com — Mon, 22 Sep 2014 17:18:09 +0000

Across America, how many people do you think have varicose veins? The current estimate is that nearly 80 million people suffer from venous disease of the lower extremities. Almost 60% of women will suffer from some venous disease at some point in their life. If you have a family history of venous disease the percentages jump dramatically up to 90%. In short, varicose veins and spider veins are very common but the average person doesn’t know too much about them. Did you know…

1. Varicose veins can impact the young

Age itself is not responsible for any venous disease. There are plenty of people in older population groups who never suffer from venous disease and plenty of young people in their 20’s and 30’s that have varicose and spider veins. Chronic venous hypertension has both genetic factors as well as behavioral risk factors. If your parents or family suffer from venous disease it’s far more likely that you will than someone who’s parents do not. Additionally, there are behavioral risk factors such as prolonged sitting or standing, pregnancy, heavy lifting, trauma, weight, sedentary lifestyles, etc. While varicose and spider veins are more likely to occur later in life, age is not the defining cause of venous disease.

2. Compression stockings only treat the symptoms

Compression stockings are useful for a couple of areas. The first is that they can keep varicose veins from worsening. While they can’t reverse varicose or spider veins they can slow their deterioration. The second is that they can dramatically help the healing post-treatment. To actually treat and remedy varicose or spider veins we use treatments such as sclerotherapy, foam sclerotherapy, and laser treatments with an Nd: YAG laser. The good news is that those treatment methods are almost entirely pain-free, take 30-60 minutes, and have quick recovery times. Think of it this way, compression stocks like crutches: they can slow further damage to a broken leg, they’re very useful in recovery, but using crutches doesn’t cure the fracture.

3. Varicose veins are very similar to spider veins

The root cause for both varicose and spider veins is called “chronic venous hypertension”. They are both considered “abnormal” and it you think about the veins as branches on a tree the varicose veins are closer to the trunk and spider veins are out on the edge. Similarly the main difference between the two is the diameter of the vein. While they can look quite different, they are extremely similar. That is why you will also see some overlap in terms of treatment methodologies for both varicose veins and spider veins. During a consultation we can explain why we are using particular methods for particular veins.

4. Enlarged veins are not always varicose veins

Varicose veins usually have the characteristic of being “tortuous”. What that means to you is that they are marked by having repeated twists, bends, and turns. That’s why when you see a “bulging” bicep vein on the person in the gym doing curls it’s not considered an abnormal or varicose vein. Additionally, if you look at the back of your hands you’ll likely see very prominent – but fairly straight – veins which are perfectly normal. When you see a varicose vein it can look like a map showing a long winding road.

5. Varicose veins are common in the legs

Varicose veins are most common found on our legs. That’s not because the veins in our legs are different than the veins in other parts of our body, rather it’s because of our posture. We stand erect which has a number of consequences. First, gravity just makes it easier for blood to push it’s way from the heart to the legs. Second, when we do sit we are often constricting blood flow to and from the legs. Third, there are some environment factors – such as women wearing high heels – that further increase the pressure on the veins in the legs. The net result is that the leg veins have the toughest job and therefore are more prone to venous disease.

There are you five facts about varicose veins. If you have any questions please feel free to call to schedule a free consultation where we can talk about your specific case.

Do you use EVLT (Endovenous Laser Therapy) or RFA (Radiofrequency Ablation)?

vchen2570@gmail.com — Mon, 22 Sep 2014 05:01:53 +0000

No, I don’t recommend either EVLT or RFA treatments for my patients. There are a still a lot of clinics that use those treatment methods but the San Diego Vein Institute does not. The rationale is based on the associated risk for the treatments as well as the lack of results that they often achieve.

Both treatments involve inserting a fiber into the Great Saphenous Vein itself to ablate (kill) it. The technology is different for each method. The EVLT treatment involves using thermal energy to collapse the vein. The RFA treatment uses radio frequency energy to accomplish the same goal. Theoretically since the Great Saphenous Vein is the trunk that feeds the varicose veins, killing it should resolve/remove the unsightly veins. The reality is that that often doesn’t occur. I’ve had made patients come to me after receiving EVLT or RFA treatment because it failed to remove the unsightly vein(s). Not only did they not see the results they were looking for but they collapsed the Great Saphenous Vein for no reason.

My goal is the ensure that I only collapse the veins that are either unsightly or hurting the patient. Since the San Diego Vein Institute promotes going vein-by-vein your treatment time, we ensure we are both ablating the right veins correctly and there is no unnecessary damage to healthy veins.

However, the benefits for the patient are more than just better visible results and less damage. One drawback of EVLT or RFA treatments is that they typically go hand-in-hand with a procedure called ambulatory phlebectomy. The downsides to ambulatory phlebectomy is that it involve small incisions (which can lead to some scarring) as well as the use of anesthesia. Essentially, ambulatory phlebectomy is a slightly advance form of the old vein stripping treatments of the past.

The San Diego Vein Institute is a proponent of using ultrasound guided foam sclerotherapy. Not only is it far less invasive but the recurrence rate is closer to 10% as opposed to the near 50% reoccurance rate with other treatment methods.

If you have consulted with surgeons that have recommended EVLT or RFA treatment methodology, we are happy to offer a free consultation where we can provide a second opinion.

Deep-Vein Thrombosis: It can impact anyone…

vchen2570@gmail.com — Mon, 22 Sep 2014 04:14:47 +0000

In an early post I talked about endurance athletes and how despite their healthy lifestyle, weight control, cardiovascular health, etc. they could still be impacted by varicose veins. I specifically referenced the well documented case of George Hicapie who is a world-class cyclist and also had very visible varicose veins.

He’s far from the only professional athlete to be impacted by venous disease. In 2013 a NASCAR driver, Brian Vickers, was diagnosed with deep-vein thrombosis. In a note of irony his first thought that something was wrong when he was cycling with a friend and couldn’t keep up, he was out of breath and started to experience pain. Vickers had developed a life-threatening condition called deep vein thrombosis (DVT), in which blood clots form deep within the body’s veins – typically, in the legs. In Vickers’ case, one of the clots had broken off and traveled into his lungs, blocking blood flow and causing a pulmonary embolism (PE). Luckily, Vickers’ caught it in time, if untreated PEs can be fatal.

Being educated on the warning signs Vickers’ new to call his doctor immediately when three years later he noticed a deep bruise and moderate swelling in his right calf. This time the doctors were quick to diagnose a blood clot reoccurrence by using an ultrasound.

The goal of sharing this story isn’t to alarm anyone into thinking that ever swollen bruise is potentially a DVT or PE but rather to further education. If the top athletes in the world – while in their prime – can fall victim to venous disease it shows that it can impact anyone.

Get rid of ugly spider veins, NOW!

vchen2570@gmail.com — Sun, 21 Sep 2014 14:42:57 +0000

Fall is here – but not in San Diego! For the rest of the country “beach season” is over but here in San Diego we will still be seeing the occasional mini-skirt when Christmas roll around. Who doesn’t want to feel cool and confident when they’re out and about? The answer is everyone wants that confidence but many women and men are self-conscious about how they look. Almost 55% of women reported being uncomfortable with their spider veins. To doctors they are called telangiectasia but for you they will be those thin thread veins that can range in color from red to blue to purple.

Causes

Venous disease, including telangiectasia (“spider veins”) have a number of potential contributing factors including: body weight, age, and genetics. Take a look around you, almost everyone will have spider veins to some degree during their life. You don’t see them? That’s because spider veins don’t always occur on visible parts of the body, even during beach seasons. If you are prone or predisposed to spider veins you’ll probably start to see them on your legs and face. So what happens when you want to take a nice Sunday stroll on the beach? If you don’t want to be restricted to covering up, if you want to show off your legs, or you just plain don’t want to look at them in the mirror, there are treatments.

Solutions

Spider veins are not difficult to treat, and today’s technology advances have made them pain free in-office procedures that typically take 30-60 minutes. Here are two of the treatment options that we recommend here at the San Diego Vein Institute:

Laser Therapy

Not all laser treatments are equal. Here at the San Diego Vein Institute we use the top-of-the-line Nd:YAG laser. For those of you who want to know all of the details, this stands for neodymium-doped yttrium aluminum garnet. Essentially it’s a crystal that’s commonly used in the most advanced, most powerful, and most expensive lasers. The Nd:YAG laser can penetrate the skin and goes right to the veins where it is highly absorbable by blood. This what creates an optimal treatment for spider veins on sensitive areas like the face without damaging the surrounding skin tissue. The Nd:YAG laser was also design with patients in mind, they come with a cooling tip which minimizes discomfort and removes the need for anesthetic.

After treatment, the tiny, damaged vessels collapse. Blood can no longer enter and is routed to neighboring healthy veins. The veins eventually collapse veins and are painlessly reabsorbed by the body leaving no scars or visible marks.

Foam Sclerotherapy

Sclerotherapy is another treatment method we commonly use for the treatment of varicose and spider veins. The treatment method is different but the results are very similar, causing veins to collapse, blood to be rerouted, and soon the collapsed veins are reabsorbed. If you research sclerotherapy there will be on name that you see over and over again: Asclera. So what is Asclera? It’s the brand name for a chemical called polidocanol. Patients treated with polidocanol report extremely high levels of satisfaction, thanks to its effectiveness and that it’s pain free for the patient. Polidocanol is administered through injection directly into the affected vein using a thin needle. Similar to laser treatments you’re looking at an average treatment time of 30-60 minutes with very little recovery discomfort.

At the San Diego Vein Institute we typically use foam sclerotherapy. Research has shown that it’s around 7 time more effective than regular sclerotherapy. Foaming the treating agent allow it to replace the blood in the spider vein rather than mixing with it which yield a more effective treatment. However, we do have to take extra steps to ensure safe and effective treatment including the use of an ultrasound. Not only will an ultrasound be used before the treatment it will be used during the procedure. It is more time consuming for the physician but the ultimate results and patient satisfaction are worth the effort.

Treat Yourself Today

With today’s pain free and quick treatment options there’s no reason to let any cosmetic vein issue bother you any longer. Enjoy the summer, enjoy the fall, enjoy yourself year round. To learn more and schedule a free consultation, call the San Diego Vein Office today and as for an appointment.

Can I walk after you treat varicose veins on my legs?

vchen2570@gmail.com — Sat, 20 Sep 2014 04:27:16 +0000

The answer is YES, and I might add that it’s recommended and encouraged for all of my patients. Whether it is a form or sclerotherapy or a laser treatment you are getting an out-patient procedure. It’s done in the San Diego Vein Institute offices and most of the time there isn’t the need for even a local anesthetic. After the 30-60 minute treatment you’re up and moving. Movement is actually better for the post-treatment recovery process. So here are a few notes on what (and what not) to do!

1. Flat Surfaces: For your post-treatment walking make sure to your a flat surface. We don’t want to have you trying to climb Mount Kilimanjaro 10 minutes after the treatment. I don’t think I can medically prescribe “retail therapy” but a walk around a mall or shops is a good way to start your recovery. Enjoy yourself, encourage circulation, aid the recovery process.

2. Avoid a Long Drive: A nice walk post-treatment helps the healing process, a long drive (or flight) can actually hamper it as it restricts blood flow. You’ve probably heard about a couple of high profile deep-vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolisms cases from long flights in the media. The same logic, on a much smaller scale, applies here. You want to encourage circulation in the immediate post-treatment time frame rather than hamper it.

3. Seek Shade: This is a topic that you’ll want to speak the physician about. For some treatment techniques it’s advisable to stay out of prolonged direct sunlight for a period of time. You’ll be okay doing your normal activities but you may want to avoid planning to spend the day at the beach after a morning appointment. For some laser treatments prolonged sunlight without sunscreen could increase the risk of hyper-pigmentation.

4. Gym: Generally you want to avoid strenuous aerobic activity for 48 hours after treatment. Hitting the 5:00 p.m. spin class the same day as your treatment is not recommended. It’s important to note this as a lot of patients think – correctly – that exercise helps circulation. You have to realize that even though you’re leaving the treatment center without pain that your body will still need to heel. Walks of flat surfaces encourage that process but training for a triathlon doesn’t.

Review all of these areas with your physician both during the consultation as well as post-treatment. Depending on your specific case there could be different timelines to follow. We want you getting back to your normal life as quickly as possible while ensuring your have a great post-treatment and healing experience.

Do you have spider veins on your face?

vchen2570@gmail.com — Fri, 19 Sep 2014 04:13:37 +0000

If you do you’re not alone. The good news is that they are easily treated. However, I do get asked a few questions quite often during the free consultation. I thought that it was worth writing a short article about some of the topics that come up around vocabulary, risk, and causes:

You said “telangiectasia” what does that mean?

Quite simply it’s the medical term for broken capillaries and spider veins. These most often appear around the nose or eyes and sometimes resemble little stars. They aren’t always uniform in color ranging from red to various degrees of blue or purple.

Can spider veins hurt me?

While the answer is usually “no” it’s a great question to ask during a consultation as each case is unique. This question generally comes up as people research “varicose veins” and see their association with deep-vein thrombosis (DVT) and the link to blood clots. But even spider veins generally aren’t harmful I have had many patients over the years that just don’t like seeing them in the mirror when they wake up in the morning. Cosmetic or not, it’s reason enough to be treated. My experience has been mirrored by a study done by the American Academy of Cosmetic Surgery which found that 50 to 55 percent of women complain about spider veins.

What causes spider veins?

Spider veins develop from a venous deficiency. In plain language it just means that there’s a back-flow of blood in the veins. That back-flow causes pressure which damages vessel wall. When looking environmental and lifestyle contributing factors you increase your risk if the area is inflamed, you have high blood pressure, or are overweight. Similar to varicose veins, there are genetic predispositions to spider veins.

Age can be a contributing factor as generally there is a weakening of the veins and skin. The aging process in the skin will also make the damaged veins and broken capillaries more visible, thus appearing more pronounced.

Rosacea, another skin disease that we treat at the San Diego Vein Institute, can cause spider veins. Rosacea, eczema, and other inflammatory conditions can cause spider veins as that inflammation increases pressure on veins and fragile capillaries.

Smoking and sun damage can also contribute to visible spider veins and broken capillaries. Smoking not only damages arteries and veins but the prematurely aging results contribute to the increasing visibility of spider veins and capillaries noted about. Sun damage of the skin can also cause the increased visibility of these conditions, most noticeable around the eyes.

What can I do?

As I said at the start, the good news is that you’re not alone and the great news is that spider veins are easily treated. Methods will vary based on your particular situation which is also why we insist on the consultation before looking at treatment options. However, most of the time those treatments are either sclerotherapy or laser treatments. In many cases I will use both types of treatment on a single patient. You should be weary of any physician with a “one treatment for all veins” solution as it’s likely sub-optimal. Courses with either treatment option (or a combination of the two) take approximately 30-60 minutes, are pain-free, and are done in-office with zero downtime. You can eliminate those unwanted spider veins over a lunch break if you wanted.