I’m in my 40s, and I’ve noticed more veins on my legs than ever before. Should I be worried, and how do I get rid of them?
First of all, women commonly deal with varicose veins as they age. This can be a result of carrying children, jobs with standing and body composition. But age and gender are not exclusions when it comes to varicose veins. Often in younger women, heredity plays a part. This means if your mom had noticeable spider veins at an early age, you could be at risk early as well.
Help for Spider and Varicose Veins
Regardless, the unsightly issue results from leaky valves and increased pressure within the feeding veins that cause the tiny superficial ones to become visible. Having visible veins is not dangerous and does not increase the risk of deep vein clots. However, a vein specialist should evaluate them to ensure there is not a deeper underlying issue. We can do this quickly and painlessly with an ultrasound that measures the size and flow of the feeding veins.
If the feeding veins do not require treatment (or after we treat them), we can still treat the visible spider veins with a simple, in-office procedure called sclerotherapy. We inject a thick solution into the veins. This displaces the blood and fills the vein with clear fluid so they are no longer visible. You can even watch the vein disappear as we inject it!
Generally, we can treat two to three sites at a time. This avoids administering too much sclerotherapy medication in one sitting. Often a patient will need to return to treat all the areas of veins.
After sclerotherapy, you may experience some bruising and even skin staining due to iron. This is generally short-lived, but for this reason, we try to do sclerotherapy treatments during the cooler months so the legs have time to heal and can be covered with pants. Patients with darker or sensitive skin are at higher risk for staining. The risk can be reduced by using an experienced vascular specialist and by wearing compression garments. Massage and topical ointments have also been found to improve the outcome of the skin staining.
The Vein Center at Lam Vascular & Associates: We are Here for You
At The Vein Center, we are your trusted resource for helping you fully understand your options and, with guidance from Dr. Jenna Wishnew, choose the right treatment for you.
This state-of-the-art facility is dedicated entirely to the diagnosis and minimally invasive treatment of venous conditions. An evaluation at The Vein Center at Lam Vascular & Associates is non-invasive and is the best way to know the health of your veins.
Schedule your evaluation at The Vein Center at Lam Vascular & Associates today.
