Spider Vein Treatment in Houston, TX
Inside our veins, we all have valves that keep our blood and vasculature running smoothly. Spider and protruding leg veins indicate damage or weakness in these valves resulting in malfunction and preventing the blood to leave the vein. When this happens, blood pools or backs up inside the vessel causing it to swell and appear closer to the skin.
- Genetics
- Aging
- Oral Birth Control Pills
- Pregnancy
- Obesity
- Hormonal Changes
- Other Cardiovascular Diseases
- Prolonged Standing
It is important in the diagnosing phase to examine the back of the patient’s legs and thighs to determine if a varicose vein could be contributing to a spider vein that is present in the lower legs. Where these varicosities exist can indicate if the spider vein could be originating from a leak in the great saphenous vein.
Support or compression stockings are an option for in home treatment. They can be purchased at retail or pharmacies to try to address the pain and discomfort that may be caused due to spider and varicose veins. These serve to offer relief as well as improve circulation in your legs.
Often in home remedies do not bring relief and medical treatment is needed to get your legs and face looking better. By using laser vein therapy and light based technologies Intense Pulsed Light (IPL), we can effectively treat both leg and face veins. These treatments are quick and usually collapse and close off the vessels in just a few sessions with the remaining coloration to be dissipated over several months. Some prefer laser vein therapy to sclerotherapy injections.
Sclerotherapy is an injectable solution directly administered into the vein through a needle and syringe. The solution destroys the blood vessel, causing it to become fibrous and disappear over time. Side effects can include discoloration of the skin.
Endovenous Treatment for Varicose Veins
Endovenous laser vein treatment is an alternative to target varicose veins that were once only treatable by surgery. This procedure uses a small laser fiber placed inside the vessel allowing delivery of pulses of laser light that collapse the vein. Studies suggest Endovenous lasers are effective 98% of the time in treating varicose veins. Patients also report less pain and a quicker recovery than with ligation and stripping.
Radiofrequency ablation is another option for large varicose veins. The principle is similar to Endovenous laser. A small catheter delivers radiofrequency energy (instead of laser energy) directly into the vein wall, causing it to heat up and collapse. After about a year, the vein disappears. The results are comparable to vein surgery, but there is less risk and pain.