Spider Veins Treatment in Gainesville, FL
What are Spider Veins?
When one thinks of spider veins, it is easy to confuse them with varicose veins but they are actually different types of veins. While varicose veins are large, swollen blood vessels that can be seen through the skin, spider veins are smaller veins that are also visible through the skin and usually measure between .5 and 1.0 millimeter in diameter. Spider veins are usually red, blue or purple in color that appear to twist and turn and can resemble the appearance of a spider web under the skin. They are also referred to as telangiectasias or angioectasias.
Why do Spider Veins Occur?
Spider veins are caused by a backup of blood. Some people are predisposed to having spider veins because they might run in the family. Other factors that make someone susceptible to getting spider veins include:
- Taking birth control pills
- Occupations that require a lot of standing
- A history of blood clots
- Post menopausal hormone treatment
- Injury to the skin
- Exposure to ultraviolet rays
- Sitting for long periods of time
- Increase in age
People can also get spider veins if they have conditions that add pressure to the abdomen such as constipation, tumors and wearing tight restrictive clothing like girdles.
Gainesville Spider Veins Removal
Many people who have spider veins want to get rid of them and it's for more than cosmetic reasons. While spider veins are not very pretty, they can also be painful. People who have spider veins in the legs complain that their legs feel tired, restless, heavy, tingly and they can also feel a throbbing or burning sensation. Women especially seem to have problems with spider veins and the symptoms can be exacerbated during menstrual cycles and during pregnancy.
There is hope for people who suffer with spider veins. For those who are looking for ways to remove spider veins, they will want to look into spider vein removal in Gainesville, FL. One common method used by Dr. Poser is sclerotherapy. During this type of non-surgical procedure, Dr. Poser uses a very fine needle to inject a sclerosing solution, which is a highly concentrated saline solution or a specially made detergent, directly into the blood vessel. The lining of the vessel gets irritated which causes the vessel to swell or harden and then closes off or shrinks away. After about six weeks, the vessels slowly fade and eventually become barely visible and fade completely.
Cosmetic Surgery Center in Gainesville, FL
Patients who have had sclerotherapy treatment report very little discomfort. It is recommended that patients wear support hose for a couple of days following the Gainesville cosmetic procedure. When it comes to spider veins procedures in Gainesville, Fl, sclerotherapy is a simple procedure that normally only takes from about 45 minutes to one hour. The inexpensive treatments are done in a series of one procedure per month and might be covered by insurance. Sclerotherapy has become the gold standard when treating spider veins in the legs and is preferred by both doctors and patients over laser treatment.