What are Spider Veins?
Spider veins are the tiny pink and purple thread like veins that lie close to the surface of the skin. People who stand for long periods of time during the day for many years end up with spider veins on their legs and feet. Many of the spider veins with their unsightly short jagged patterns look like spiders and some are located in one general area while others are spread throughout both legs and feet. Spider veins are the earliest manifestations of venous diseases.
What causes Spider Veins?
Spider Veins are caused by many different factors such as where a person works, how heavy the person is, and the medical history of a family. For a person who stands for a long number of hours such as teachers, nurses, or construction workers are more prone to spider veins. A heavier person is more likely to develop veins. Sometimes it depends on the medical history of clots, how physically fit the person is and what type of shoes or clothes the person wears can bring on a vein problem such as spider veins. Vein diseases affect more women than they do men and the veins become more of a problem as the women grow older.
Symptoms of Spider Veins
Before the veins begin to appear on the legs or feet, patients may start feeling pain or discomfort such as a cramping feeling in their legs and feet. The pain can be controlled by getting off their feet and putting their feet up in order to take the pressure off of them. The pain may only be the beginning of the symptoms of vein diseases like spider veins, and patients can also develop restlessness in the legs, or a burning sensation and the legs can feel heavy. Once they put their legs up for an extended period of time, the symptoms will subside.
Diagnosis of Spider Veins
When patients start to experience the pain or discomfort of cramps in their legs and feet, they should see a doctor right away so a proper diagnosis can be done to determine if you have spider veins. A doctor will probably order x-rays or sonography (vascular ultrasound) to be done to determine if the spider veins are causing any problems with circulation. Many times if the veins are causing problems with circulation, this can be the cause of the pain and discomfort and the spider veins may develop into more serious problems such as varicose veins.
Spider Veins Treatment options
Many types of treatments are available but not all of them are effective. Getting off the feet can help to relieve the symptoms of spider veins but it does not treat the problem. If you have to be on your feet, the best thing you can do is to wear support stockings that were ordered by a doctor. The support stockings can help to prevent blood clots that could move to a major organ if the spider veins are not taken care of medically when they were first noticed.
To burn the tiny spider veins, many clinics will provide some form of skin light therapy similar to the treatment of pigmentation or skin spots. However, spider veins do not react well to these procedures as spider veins resemble little streams that are connected to bigger stream further up. Closing the small stream without first closing the source of the stream will just allow for more flows to form later.
As spider veins may be a manifestation of a more serious problem, it is necessary to diagnose with a Sonography (vascular ultrasound) examination before deciding on the treatment options.
Find out more about Spider Veins and Treatment options
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Spider Veins Treatment Options
When it comes to spider veins in Singapore, there are a variety of treatment options. However, it is ultimately advisable to consult a specialist to find a treatment that suits your condition. Below are some of the spider vein treatment options in Singapore that may be recommended.
Support Stockings
Support stockings ordered by doctors are especially useful when patients have to be on their feet often. These stockings come in three styles – below-the-knee, above-the-knee and pantyhose. At times, spider veins are not taken care of medically as soon as they are discovered. In such cases, support stockings may prevent blood clots from moving to vital organs. By creating gentle pressure in the leg that alleviates swelling and prevents blood from pooling in the veins, pain and discomfort can be relieved.
Sclerotherapy
Sclerotherapy can eliminate the pain and discomfort that spider veins cause and prevent complications, including ulcers and bleeding in the veins. It also helps with vein appearance. During this procedure, a solution is injected directly into the vein. By irritating and scarring the inside of the vein, the chemical causes the spider vein to collapse over a period of 3 to 6 weeks and gradually disappear. In certain circumstances where larger veins are involved, a longer period of 6 months may be required for the veins to disappear.
As spider veins may be a manifestation of a more serious problem, it is necessary to diagnose with a Sonography (vascular ultrasound) examination before deciding on spider vein treatments in Singapore.
Should I seek treatment for Spider Veins?
Spider veins may not just be a cosmetic issue, without treatment of the underlying factors, it can lead to other medical complications. For 60 to 70% of the patients with vein problems, it starts off with the appearance first. There are several reasons why you should seek treatment for your spider veins.
Discomfort and Aches: There may be no symptoms associated with your spider veins in the initial stages. It is likely that you have underlying varicose veins. As it becomes more severe, you may start to experience major discomfort such as aches, cramps and swelling.
Progressive Disease: There are many different types of treatments for venous diseases like spider veins. From the easiest remedies that can be done at home or more extreme measures that have to be done at the hospital. Some people are encouraged to lose weight, however if the spider veins are serious, losing weight may not be an option if the veins are affecting the circulation of the body. While compression stockings, medication, cream and leg elevation will alleviate the symptoms and prevent spider veins from getting worse, these treatments will not cure the disease. Sometimes the problems progress from spider veins, to varicose veins, and all the way to skin changes and ulcers. The medical term for this condition is Chronic Venous Insufficiency, which means the veins are not working well to bring the blood back from the legs to the heart.
Why choose treatments by our doctor?
Some patients may have spider veins with underlying varicose veins. It is therefore important to examine for any underlying problems.
Rather than just performing a cosmetic treatment for spider veins, our doctor focuses on treating the whole patient.
Our doctor also adopts the latest minimally invasive technology to reduce the recovery time for our patients.
Being among the few vascular and endovascular trained surgeons in Singapore, our doctor can provide comprehensive services from diagnosis to treatment.
During the assessment of your spider veins, our doctor will determine if you will need a Sonography (vascular ultrasound) examination to diagnose for issues in the veins hidden deeper in your legs.
This can be done onsite during the same consultation as the spider veins appointment as he is able to do the ultrasound personally instead of making another appointment with a technician.
This allows our doctor to explain the results to you immediately and prescribe a customised spider veins treatment for you that is best suited for your body and preferences. The treatment can include varicose veins treatment such as Sclerotherapy.
Get rid of spider veins and be confident in your own skin. See which treatment is right for you!
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Frequently Asked Questions about Spider Veins and Treatment Options
Without intervention, spider veins rarely go away on their own. Typically, spider vein treatment is necessary if you want them gone permanently. It is highly recommended to talk to a vein specialist to determine a suitable treatment option depending on the condition. There are minimally invasive treatment options that do not take long to complete.
Today, there are a variety of spider vein treatment options in Singapore. One of which is support stockings, creating gentle pressure that alleviates swelling and prevents blood from pooling in the veins. Endovenous laser ablation therapy may also be considered. It involves delivering laser light pulses to the vein to help it collapse. Alternatively, sclerotherapy, which involves injection of a highly concentrated saline solution into the vein to help it collapse, is a viable spider vein treatment option as well.
Spider veins can be caused by many factors. Some of which includes heredity, prolonged standing, obesity, hormonal influences, birth control pills postmenopausal hormone replacement and a history of blood clots. In some reported causes, trauma or injury to the skin, prior vein surgeries and exposure to ultraviolet rays may be contributing elements as well.
Generally, spider veins do not go away on their own and it is recommended to get professional spider vein treatment rather than rely on home remedies. Talk to your vein doctor to find a suitable solution based on your condition. From endovenous laser ablation therapy to sclerotherapy and perhaps even surgery, a professional can help you determine which is right for you.