Veins are something that are essential to the well being of the human body. In order to get the blood in the body circulating, the heart pumps the blood through a complex network of veins. Circulatory disorders occur when something stops the blood from flowing correctly through the veins.

Another thing that can happen when circulation is impaired is spider veins, which might or might not require spider vein treatment. These kinds of veins are instantly recognizable, in that they usually appear on the upper legs, are long, scraggly, and thin, and are dark red to dark purple in color.

In order to determine what the right spider vein treatment might be, it is important to first discern how these kinds of veins could be caused. Although these kinds of veins could be caused by such maladies as high cholesterol or high blood pressure, they are often caused by excessive weight gain over a short amount of time.

For example, when a woman (women are far more likely than men to develop these kinds of veins) is pregnant, considerable amount of weight is placed on her legs. The veins will thus swell in order to accommodate the necessary blood flow, and that is how these kinds of veins appear. Additional causes could include extreme exercise, or, ironically, long periods of inactivity.

Spider veins are usually considered more of a cosmetic issue than anything else, so some women choose spider vein treatment simply because they do not like the look of them on their legs. However, sometimes these kinds of veins can be more serious than originally thought, and there are two main ways to tell if they are.

The first way is the feeling of pain and stiffness in the leg or legs that contain spider veins. This can indicate the presence of a clot, so it is very important that the woman have this checked by a doctor as soon as possible. The other indication is in the form of a rash surrounding these veins. If left untreated, the rash and the vein could ulcerate.

All of this having been said, there are two main forms of spider vein treatment. The first form is use for veins that have been determined to be of minimal concern, and is known as sclerotherapy. Sclerotherapy involves the use of a very fine needle to inject the veins with medicine. The medicine is meant to break up the molecules that have prevented the blood from flowing properly through the vein, thereby collapsing the vein back into the leg. It is important to note that this is a gradual procedure that is done over a period of a few weeks.

The other form of treatment that is available (usually for more problematic veins) involves laser therapy. In this case, the excess molecules obstructing the veins are eradicated via the heat of the laser, while at the same time the laser light helps to stimulate healthy blood flow. This procedure will also be done over the course of a few weeks.

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