Tag: Painless Procedure

What You Should Know About Spider Vein Treatments

Spider veins are nothing more than a cosmetic problem. If you plan to undergo spider vein treatment, here are a few things you should know.

Before you undergo any type of treatment, you have to consult with your doctor. You will be asked a few questions with regards to your medical history, what medications you take, what type of work do you do and a few others because these are some of the cause of spider veins.

He or she will examine your leg to check if there are other problems. The hand held Doppler ultrasound device will be used to detect if there is a backflow within the venous system. If there are no serious problems, then you can undergo spider vein treatment but should there be any, you will be referred to another specialist.

Lets say there are no problems. Your doctor will then explain to you what happens when you undergo sclerotherapy. This procedure is the trend these days for this cosmetic problem. In this procedure, sclerosing agents are injected in the affected area which is designed to lighten the color of the veins.

If you have any questions, dont be afraid to raise them. Some people ask if it is going to hurt, what are the risks and benefits, how long is the recovery period and the costs which is perfectly normal since you will be the one who will undergo the procedure.

After getting all the necessary information and your willingness to still do it, you have to follow your doctors instructions to prepare you for treatment. You must not apply any moisturizer, sunblock or oil to your legs on the day of your procedure. You can wear shorts during the procedure but have to wear a prescribed support hose and slacks when you go home.

The procedure does not take that long. This may last from 15 to 45 minutes. It is a painless procedure and you dont have to be injected with anesthesia. If your doctor has their own clinic, it will be done right there.

Just how many injections will be used depends on the number of spider veins. Some patients will get 5 injections while this can go up to about 45. When the injection has been removed, the doctor will apply cotton ball and compression tape to that area of the leg.

Your legs will look bruised or slightly discolored for a few weeks and chances are you wont be going to the pool or beach for a few weeks because you will not be comfortable wearing a swimsuit. You can go to work and party but instead of wearing dress, you will be wearing slacks or a pair of jeans.

Since one session is not enough to make the spider veins unnoticeable, you will have to go back for the next session after one month. If new spider veins start appearing, it is your choice whether or not you want to undergo this procedure again. If you are vain, chances are you will.

Not everyone can undergo sclerotherapy. If you happen to suffer from diabetes, circulatory problems, heart condition or are suffering from a blood born disease like hepatitis or AIDS, you will have to find another form of spider vein treatment.

The Two Types of Spider Vein Treatment

Spider veins are not nice to look at regardless of where they may be in the body. It can happen on the face but this usually appears on the legs. Fortunately, this can be remedied and people have to choose from two types of spider vein treatment.

The first is called sclerotherapy also known as spider vein injection. Here, the doctor will inject a scleroic agent into you the affected vein which is designed to make them contract and collapse.

This is done when the patient has medium to large spider veins. It is a painless procedure which is why anesthesia is not given. It is over within 15 to 45 minutes and you will have to go back for two or six more sessions to see its full effect.

Sclerotherapy was first used in Europe and then now being used by doctors in the US. This should only be done by a certified doctor to avoid complications.

The second type of spider vein treatment is laser. Here, the doctor will aim the beam over the spider veins so this will coagulate and shrink. This is very effective when the patient has small and medium sized spider veins.

Patients who decide to use laser surgery should know that you will feel a little pain when the procedure is being performed. Despite that, you dont need to be given any local anesthetic, pain medication or sedative.

In both types, you should expect the spider veins in the skin to get darker and become more visible. Within 2 weeks to a month and a half, this should already start to fade so it is slowly improving.

Some patients who have small, medium and large spider veins have to use combination therapy which consist of sclerotherapy and laser which will greatly reduce the cost for laser treatment.

The cost of sclerotherapy and laser treatment are not that far apart. A session of sclerotherapy may cost between $100 and $400 per session while laser treatment could cost $300-450 per session. But you have to remember that this could go higher depending on the number of veins that have to be treated, the doctor who is performing the procedure and where you are having this done. Doctors who have their own clinic can do it right there instead of having this done in the hospital.

The two types of spider vein treatment have similarities and differences. One cannot be substituted with the other because one type is designed to help patients who have small to medium spider veins while the other is to help treat those who have medium to large spider veins.

Which one will be performed on you will depend on the assessment of your doctor. To help with the cost of this procedure, you should see if your insurance provider will be able to cover it. You should know right now that many insurance companies do not shoulder this expense because their argument is that this is a cosmetic procedure.

While this is true, you can with the help of your doctor argue that you need one of the two types of spider vein treatment for medical reasons. Just remember that this should be backed up by pictures and documents so there is a big chance that your request for this procedure is approved.