FutureDerm is proud to introduce expert dermatologist Dr. Jessica J. Krant, M.D., M.P.H., a board-certified dermatologist specializing in cosmetic, medical, and surgical dermatology. Dr. Krant graduated from Harvard College with honors and earned her M.D. at Columbia University while also obtaining a Master’s Degree in Public Health. After completing internship, dermatology residency, and a Mohs and dermatologic surgery fellowship in New York, Dr. Krant founded Art of Dermatology LLC on 5th Avenue (ArtofDermatology.com). In addition to private practice, Dr. Krant is Assistant Clinical Professor of Dermatology at SUNY Downstate Medical Center, has authored dermatology textbook chapters, and works with legislators and fellow physicians to keep quality healthcare accessible. She’s a well-known authority for off- and online publications, and serves on Consumer Reports’ Medical Advisory Board as the sole expert dermatologist.
If you’ve spent this summer trying to cover up your spider veins, you aren’t alone. Vein issues like telangiectasia (spider veins) and varicose veins are very common, affecting 50 to 55% of women and 40 to 45% of men. In fact, varicose veins affect more than 50% of men and women over the age of 50. But they can show up in women much earlier in their 20s. While they’re generally painless and harmless, they can be embarrassing for some and hard to hide.
Spider and Varicose Veins: What Are They?
Varicose veins are enlarged veins. They typically appear blueish, but if deep enough may appear rope-like with no color and may look like raised bulges or knots on the skin. These tend to appear on the legs, buttocks, and genitals.
Telangiectasia or spider veins are a subset of varicose veins that are smaller and more superficial. They typically appear red or purple in coloring and spread outward in a “spider web” type pattern. These appear most often on the legs and face.
Both types are caused when veins become weak, allowing blood back up the wrong way through a vein’s one-way valve. The blood pools in the vein, stretching it out and causing it to become enlarged.
What Causes Spider and Varicose Veins?
These conditions are primarily caused by:
- Heredity: A history of varicose and spider veins in your family increases the likelihood that you will have them.
- Medical Conditions: Weak or poorly functioning veins are likelier to become spider or varicose veins.
- Age: As you get old, veins typically don’t function as well.
- Hormonal Changes: Many women get spider veins during puberty, pregnancy, and menopause.
- Pregnancy: During pregnancy, the increase of blood in the body is particularly likely to cause spider or varicose veins.
- Weight: Being overweight or obese increases the risk of varicose veins.
- Being Sedentary: Sitting or standing in the same position for prolonged periods could put pressure on veins to work harder.
- Sun Exposure: Getting too many UV-rays could increase the risk of facial spider veins for fair-skinned people.
My Recommendations for Treatment of Spider and Varicose Veins: Cutera CoolGlide® Vascular Laser and Sclerotherapy
Surgery can be painful and invasive when treating varicose or spider veins. Options like lasers and sclerotherpy have good success rates, but less discomfort and downtime, making them a recommendable option.
Cutera CoolGlide® Vascular Laser: This procedure generally works best for spider veins. The dermatologist uses a laser to target the vein, causing blood to coagulate; the coagulation will destroy the vein and allow it to be reabsorbed into the body. Treatment takes about 20 minutes each session, and patients should come in one to two times for the best result. Afterward, patients can return to their daily lives, avoiding exercise for 24 hours after treatment. Studies have shown that about 80% of patients see successful results.
Sclerotherapy: The dermatologist will use a fine-tipped needle to inject a sclerosing solution — usually liquid, but sometimes foam — into the affected vein. The solution will cause the vein to collapse and shrink. This takes about 20 minutes in the office and patients can return to their daily lives immediately. But patients should wear compression stockings afterward and avoid exposure to sunlight for several weeks to ensure the best results. A collective look at studies showed that this procedure has an 87% rate of completely closing the vein.
Bottom Line
Spider and Varicose Veins, despite being relatively harmless, can be a source of embarrassment for many people. Fortunately, advances in dermatological treatment have provided us with non-invasive treatments, like Cutera CoolGlide® Vascular Laser and Sclerotherapy, that allow us to help patients get rid of spider veins with little pain or downtime and are safe alternatives to surgery.