If you are plagued with a maze of purple or bluish veins that spread across your legs, you do not have to spend the rest of your life wearing pants. Spider veins are a mild form of varicose veins, which occur when the valves inside the veins stop working, reports the U.S. National Library of Medicine's Medline Plus. Although spider veins are not harmful, they may be painful. Consult a doctor to determine the proper varicose vein treatment for your particular case.
Step 1
Wear compression stockings that keep the blood from pooling in the problem areas of the vein. MayoClinic.com recommends compression stockings as a first line of treatment against spider veins and varicose veins. Compression stockings are designed to be worn all day. They apply a strong pressure to the leg to help change the blood flow in the legs. You can get compression stockings from your doctor or at medical supply stores.
Step 2
Get laser surgery, which shoots small bursts of lights at the veins to cut them off, redirecting the blood flow to less noticeable veins, says the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Patients may need between two and five treatments to remove varicose veins completely.
Step 3
Get spider veins removed from the leg using a leg stripping procedure. A surgeon removes the vein by making small incisions into the leg. Blood no longer flows through the spider veins, but flows through larger veins deeper inside the leg instead.
Step 4
Consult your doctor about sclerotherapy. Sclerotherapy is the most common procedure used to remove spider veins and varicose veins, says the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The doctor injects a fluid into the leg, which redirects the blood flow away from the spider veins.
Tips and Warnings
- Prevent spider veins by exercising and moving around after sitting for prolonged periods of time.
- Creams that claim to treat varicose veins are ineffective, says MayoClinic.com.
Things You'll Need
- Compression stockings
