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Spider Veins
Your
spider veins removal treatment will be performed on site in
Board Certified Dermatologist, Dmitry Khasak,
MD's Manhattan, New York or Jersey City
office.
What are varicose veins
and spider veins?
Varicose veins are very swollen and raised
above the surface of the skin. They are dark
purple or blue in color, and can look like
cords or very twisted and bulging. They are
found most often on the backs of the calves or
on the inside of the leg, anywhere from the
groin to the ankle. During pregnancy, varicose
veins called hemorrhoids can form in the
vagina or around the anus.
Spider veins are similar to varicose veins,
but they are smaller, are often red or blue in
color, and are closer to the surface of the
skin than varicose veins. They can look like a
tree branch or spider web with their short
jagged lines. Spider veins can be found on
both the legs and the face. They can cover
either a very small or very large area of
skin.
Spider veins are very small veins caused by a dilation of the small veins under your skin. This occurs when the pressure inside the vein increases enough to overcome
normal resistance of the vein wall. The ability of veins to resist increased pressure is reduced in women when the blood level of estrogen and progesterone is reduced.
Reticular veins are small, bluish colored veins that carry blood to the skin venules and therefore, are larger. These veins have thin walls and dilate with excessive venous pressure. When this occurs, they become large enough
to be unsightly, but are not considered to be varicose veins.
Varicose veins are large, bulging veins often associated with tired, painful or achy legs. Sometimes varicose veins are deeper under the skin surface and not visible, however, the symptoms tend to be the same. Faulty valves in
the veins, which allow some blood circulation to flow back instead of continuing on course to the heart, cause varicose veins.
Why do varicose and spider veins usually
appear in the legs?
The veins in the legs have the toughest job of
carrying blood back to the heart. They endure
the most pressure -- pressure that can
overcome the strength of these one-way valves.
The force of gravity, the pressure from body
weight, and the task of carrying the blood
from the bottom of the body up to the heart
make the legs the primary location for
varicose and spider veins.
How Does the Treatment for Spider Veins Work?
Board Certified Dermatologist, Dmitry Khasak,
MD will use sclerotherapy to remove your
spider veins and/or varicose veins. This method is very effective for patients with small vein disorders, as shown below.
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Pre Treatment |
1 Month After Treatment |
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Pre Treatment |
4 Months After Treatment |
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Pre Treatment
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3 Months After Treatment
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How does
Board Certified Dermatologist, Dmitry Khasak,
MD treat varicose and spider veins treated?
Of all available treatments, sclerotherapy
is most commonly
used for both spider veins and varicose veins.
Sclerotherapy involves injecting a solution
into the vein that causes the lining of the
vein walls to swell, stick together, and
eventually seal shut. The flow of blood is
stopped and the vein turns into scar tissue.
In a few weeks, the vein should fade. Although
the same vein may need to be injected with the
solution more than once, sclerotherapy is very
effective if done correctly. The American
Academy of Dermatology states that most
patients can expect a 50% to 90% improvement.
Also, a new and improved type of sclerotherapy
called microsclerotherapy uses improved
solutions and injection techniques that
increase the success rate for removal of
spider veins. Sclerotherapy does not require
anesthesia, and can be done in the doctor's
office.
What exactly is sclerotherapy? Is it painful?
Sclerotherapy - whether performed as
conventional sclerotherapy or the newer
technique ultrasound guided sclerotherapy - is
an office based, medical procedure (your
procedure will be performed in Board Certified
Dermatologist, Dmitry Khasak, MD's Manhattan,
New York or Jersey City, New Jersey office)
which can permanently eliminate unsightly and
uncomfortable varicose veins and spider veins.
Sclerotherapy has been done for over 30 years
and is well established as a safe and
effective method for treating varicose veins
and spiders. During a sclerotherapy treatment
session, Board Certified Dermatologist, Dmitry
Khasak, MD will carefully inject a small amount
of a special solution into the problem veins
causing them to close and gradually disappear.
Tiny needles are used for sclerotherapy so
discomfort is usually minimal. Occasionally
there is a small amount of discomfort from the
injected sclerosing agent which quickly
dissipates.
Is sclerotherapy expensive?
Many people are surprised just how inexpensive
sclerotherapy and laser treatment is,
especially if they have had other cosmetic
procedures performed. Your actual cost will
depend upon the number of treatments required
and what type(s) of treatment needed. An
actual cost estimate will be presented to you
at your first visit.
How many sclerotherapy treatments and/or
laser treatments are necessary?
Regardless of the type of treatments needed,
the number of treatment sessions varies
depending upon the extent of vein disease,
patient compliance with the post-treatment
instructions and types of veins present.
People usually have a mixture of diseased
veins and each type of vein requires different
treatment. Spider veins usually require three
to five treatments, larger reticular veins
more, and large varicose veins even more.
Improvement will be noticed after every
treatment and most people notice a fairly good
degree of improvement after just three to four
treatments.
Are There Side-Effects
from Spider Vein Treatment?
The treated areas may appear red and/or bruised. Pain is generally mild. Swelling can occur. Sometimes hair loss can occur in the treated areas. Patients on blood thinners or with serious illness generally are not
candidates for treatment. Patients with dark suntans or photosensitivity disorders are not good candidates, but may benefit by use of the CoolGlide Laser.
If you have any questions
about Spider Vein treatments or sclerotherapy, feel free to contact Board Certified Dermatologist Dmitry Khasak,
MD at either his Manhattan, New York or
Jersey City, New Jersey office. |
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