In Huntsville warm weather’s a year-round thing. Because of it, we don’t have to spend a lot of time bundled and covered up like people do in Minnesota. But what if we cover up anyway, not because of the temperatures, but because of those squiggly blue, red, and purple lines running around on our legs?
Spider veins! Ugh. They can make even the most confident woman keep her shorts, sundress, or bathing suit in the drawer.
At Alison Wellness Clinic, we use our lasers as part of our skin care offerings, in this case zapping spider veins. In fact, our lasers can safely eliminate or greatly reduce the appearance of spider veins and broken capillaries, all the way up to 4mm in diameter! It’s part of our commitment at Alison to helping you look and feel younger every day.
What are spider veins?
Spider veins are small veins on the thighs, ankles, and feet that appear like blue, purple, or red starburst clusters or webs. Unlike varicose veins, where more blood pools and the veins actually bulge upward through the surface skin, spider veins do not raise the skin above them. They aren’t a health issue; they simply look bad and keep us from letting others see them on our legs.
The causes of spider veins aren’t fully understood. There is a genetic tendency; if your Mom had spider veins then you probably do or will, too. It’s thought that weakness in the vein walls may cause pooling of blood, resulting in a visible spider vein. It’s also believed that jobs where the person has to be on her feet all day long can contribute to the development of spider veins.
Injections or lasers?
Sclerotherapy has been the go-to solution for spider veins since the 1920s. It involves injecting a saline solution into the vein, which causes the vein wall to shrink and collapse. The body then absorbs the vein over time and it will fade away.
Dr. Alison believes that lasers do a better job on those little squiggly devils. Laser treatment follows the same plan, without the painful injections. We deliver laser energy through a handpiece that has a cooling tip to protect your skin. The dark pigment in the blood vessel absorbs that laser energy where it becomes heat. This heat makes the vein wall collapse and over time the body absorbs the closed vein. Any blood that was passing through the vein is simply rerouted by the body to an adjacent vein.
When will I say goodbye to my squiggly friends?
The overall appearance of your spider veins will dramatically lessen right after your treatment. But usually it will take from 2-8 weeks for the vein to fully go away.
Number of treatments
Most patients only need two treatments, but everyone is different. Sometimes a vein will go away after one treatment, others after three. Treatments are usually spaced eight weeks apart.
So, leave the spidery stuff to the comic books, not your legs. Call us at Alison Wellness Clinic, 256-489-5748, and let’s talk about laser therapy for those spider veins.
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