Procedures > Cosmetic Treatments > Spider Veins

Spider Veins

The Skin Institute offers treatments for all venous disease. The spectrum spans from cosmetic forms of vein disease such as spider veins to debilitating illnesses such as venous ulcers and varicose veins.

Spider veins, venous lakes and blue veins

Spider veins are a cosmetic complaint usually associated with fair skin colour making superficial veins more visible. Pregnancy can worsen the appearance of spider veins.

Treatment

There are easy and very successful treatments for spider veins available, usually through injection of a sclerosant substance (Sclerotherapy) that collapses the vein essentially closing it from further blood supply. Stockings need to be worn for about 2 weeks after this treatment.

Immediately following treatment, the veins may become swollen and bruised, the area treated will have a raised appearance at the injection site and you may experience some temporary discomfort or itchy sensation.

Venous lakes and blue veins sometimes require small operative procedures under local anaesthetic. It is important to have your complaint assessed by a specialist nurse or doctor to exclude more serious underlying disease.

Possible Side Effects

  • Bruising at injection sites
  • Transient pigmentation at the injection site, or along the treated vein.  This will normally resolve over the next 3 – 6 months (sometimes up to a year in rare cases)
  • The development of new blood vessels around the treatment site
  • Inflammation along the treated vein, especially in the bigger veins
  • Ulceration at the injection site (rare)
  • Deep vein thrombosis (blood clot) in the deeper veins (rare)

Aftercare instructions

  • Compression stockings need to be worn day and night for the first 24 hours
  • Compression stockings need to be worn during the day for 1 – 2 weeks
  • Walk for 30 minutes every day for the next 2 weeks
  • Strenuous exercise should be avoided for 2 – 3 weeks following treatment
  • If you have areas of bruising or pigmentation, you should avoid sun or sun bed exposure
  • No air travel for 2 weeks

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Click here for info on Varicose Veins.