Varicose veins are veins that become blown up and twisted filling with blood when poor circulation stops the upward flow to the heart. In extreme situations, veins can burst or form ulcers. Varicose veins appear most often in the leg and thigh area.
Spider veins look like small, fine lines that resemble spider webs. They appear most often on the thighs, ankles and feet. Direct sun contact and certain skin disorders can cause spider veins to show up on the face while spider veins on the legs are in most cases caused by genetics.
While both genders, at any age can be affected, pregnant women and older women are the people who are mostly hit by varicose veins and it is these same women who seek leg vein treatment.
Treatment
Treatment includes surgery or sclerotherapy. They may be used alone or together. These procedures remove the damaged veins and compel the blood to surge through the remaining healthy vessels. Surgery can be done using either local, partial or general anesthesia, depending on how extensive the damage is. Sclerotherapy does not require an anesthetic.
Surgery - stripping of the veins is normally performed under local or partial anesthesia and is considered outpatient surgery. A vein hook is placed inside an incision at knee level and detached through an incision at the groin, then, the vein is stripped or removed. These incisions cause insignificant scarring.
Sclerotherapy - is used in the treatment of spider and varicose veins, this procedure usually requires several sessions. With treat spider veins, a small, thin needle is used to inject a hypertonic saline or other solutions like Sotradecol a sodium tetradecyl sulfate, into the vein. The solution causes the lining of the vein to swell, stopping the blood from flowing. The vein then turns into scar tissue which is eventually absorbed by the body.
Laser and pulsed light treatments - is another option available for outpatient treatment of your varicose veins. This procedure utilizes ultrasound technology as well; a slender laser fiber is gently directed into your vein through a tiny incision and delivers pulsed laser heat to the damaged vein wall. This allows the vein to close which eliminates venous reflux at its foundation.
In order for the vein walls to stick together, the leg must be supported after the completion of the procedure. This is normally accomplished by using compression bandages.