Spider veins result from the dilation of a small blood vessels such as capillaries that are near the surface of the skin. Facial spider veins are a form of varicose vein, and many of the treatments are the same. The exact cause of spider veins is unknown. Contributing factors include heredity, hormonal changes and pregnancy. More than 20 percent of all women will have some form of varicose condition in their life. While men do get spider veins, women are more likely to seek treatment.
Features
There are several considerations that will determine an acceptable course of treatment for facial spider veins. These include your age, your medical history and your overall health as well as any preexisting conditions. Your care provider will also consider your expectations for treatment, the extent of your spider veins, how well you are expected to tolerate the various treatment procedures, any contraindications for treatment, and how extensive your spider veins are. Laser surgery is a popular choice because it has particularly good outcomes.
Types
During sclerotherapy, a doctor injects a solution of concentrated saline into the spider vein. The solution will harden and the vein will then collapse. During ambulatory phlebectomy, a doctor makes tiny incisions along the length of the vein and removes the vein. During electrodesiccation, a doctor uses an electrical current to seal the veins. During laser surgery, a doctor uses high-intensity laser beams to vaporize the veins.
Side Effects
As with any medical procedure, there are possible complications associated with the treatment of spider veins. A partial list of such side effects includes general changes in skin pigmentation over an area, small individual brown patches at the treated area that may take a long time to resolve, a localized allergic reaction, scarring, blood clots and telangiectatic matting. Telangiectatic matting is the appearance at the treatment area of fine, reddish blood vessels.
Considerations
Anyone may be a candidate for sclerotherapy, but most successful patients are women between 30 and 60 years old. When spider veins appear during pregnancy, no treatment should be sought; spider veins that appear during pregnancy are likely to disappear on their own once the woman's hormones return to normal. Sclerotherapy should be avoided during breastfeeding because there are no studies showing whether the sclerosing solutions are passed to the infant in the mother's breast milk.
Warning
Using a topical anesthetic is not recommended during spider vein treatment, despite the process being described as somewhat painful. More than one treatment session is usually required to achieve the desired results. Treatment generally leaves the area looking red, and the treated veins may take on a darker appearance; this change may last more than one month before resolving.
