While aging is a natural part of life, it comes with various medical and cosmetic issues. It can be overwhelming keeping up with everything going on with your body and what’s causing what. Spider veins are a common thing to experience as we age. Spider veins are normal blood vessels that have weakened and expanded. They appear close to the surface of the skin and appear like thin and spindly “spider webs.” Thankfully, spider veins rarely are a medical concern, but they can affect your self-image and make you uncomfortable. Let’s take a closer look at one of the most popular spider vein treatments, sclerotherapy.

Understanding Sclerotherapy

Sclerotherapy is a nearly century-old technique that has been used to get rid of spider veins. The treatment process is actually very simple; perhaps that’s why it’s stuck around so long. A needle with a sclerosing agent is injected directly into the spider vein. The sclerosing agent consists of an active ingredient that irritates the walls of the spider vein. The irritated wall of the vein eventually collapses and cuts off all blood flow to the vein. This will immediately reduce the visibility of the spider vein. Without blood flow, the blood vessel will die, and blood with be redirected to healthy blood vessels.

This is a safe and effective process. The dead blood vessel will then be absorbed by the body over time. The visibility of the spider vein will disappear as this happens. Foam sclerotherapy is very similar to normal sclerotherapy. In fact, the process is the same. The only difference is the sclerosing agent creates a foam that spreads further and fills the vein better. This usually makes foam sclerotherapy the better choice for larger spider veins.

Do I Need Sclerotherapy?

Whether you need sclerotherapy or not depends on your body and skin goals. If the appearance of spider veins doesn’t bother you, then there’s no need for treatment. However, if spider veins make you uncomfortable in your body, then sclerotherapy is for you. That’s why our staff at Dermatology Consultants of Short Hills provides foam sclerotherapy to treat spider veins. Our team of doctors understands that every patient’s needs are different, and not everyone may be comfortable with an injection. That’s why we offer ablative laser treatment for spider veins as well. If you’re struggling with spider veins, contact Dermatology Consultants of Short Hills at 973-232-6245 today.