Published: Tuesday, September 21, 2010 at 1:00 a.m.
Last Modified: Monday, September 20, 2010 at 9:46 a.m.
Last Modified: Monday, September 20, 2010 at 9:46 a.m.
Q:Is there anything that can be done for spider veins? -- Dolores, Highland Park, Ill.
A:Spider veins can make your legs and even your face look like you've been to a cut-rate tattoo artist. These hair-thin, dilated veins just beneath the skin don't actually resemble the creepy-crawlies they're named for. They're more like red, blue or purple sunbursts or tree branches. Any way you describe them, big ones can be so unsightly that you may briefly consider a burqa as beachwear.
There are a couple of ways to get rid of spider veins. For more than 70 years, doctors have been erasing them with sclerotherapy -- injections of an irritating solution that causes the blood to clot and the walls of the dilated vein to stick together. Yes, it stings for a minute. The lines gradually fade over weeks to months.
Option two is usually used for spider veins on your face, which are often too small to "scler." Instead, a dermatologist or plastic surgeon can zap them with a laser or electric needle.
What causes spider veins? Partly genetics (do your mom's legs look like an interstate road map?). Possibly estrogen, from pregnancy, the pill or hormone therapy. And the usual suspects: aging (though 75 percent of women over 18 have them), sun exposure, obesity, lack of activity and wearing too-small Spanx or anything super-tight that puts pressure on veins. You can't control your genes, but losing weight, wearing sunscreen, working out and buying Spanx that fit will give you a shot at preventing more spider veins.
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