Veins

Spider veins or broken capillaries are small, dilated vessels that appear close to the surface of the skin. They are nicknamed, ‘spider veins’ because the veins may look like tiny spider legs or tree branches, and they are usually reddish or blue in appearance. Although spider veins may develop anywhere on the body, they are most common on the legs and face. Telangiectasia is another term for spider veins. This phenomenon is often related to the presence of venous reflux in underlying varicose veins. Flow abnormalities in the deeper, reticular or, medium-sized veins, can lead to the development of telangiectasias at the superficial level. Whereas the medical community once though that increased blood pressure caused spider veins, now it is commonly accepted that venous reflux disease is often the cause. Reticular veins are slightly larger, deeper and more blueish in color than spider veins. These larger veins, “feed” the spider veins and sometimes must be treated in order to effectively eliminate the visible spider veins.

Telangiectasias on the face are most often treated with a non- invasive laser. Laser therapy such as the Fotona system uses safe, light therapy to target capillaries in order to seal them off, causing them to break down and disappear.

Although spider veins typically don’t produce physical pain and are primarily treated for cosmetic purposes, larger, varicose veins may cause medical complications such as throbbing, burning, aching or swelling. We will be happy to assess your vein concerns and advise you about appropriate, effective methods of treatment.

Sclerotherapy involves injecting a solution directly into the vein that causes it to scar and collapse, forcing blood to reroute through healthier veins. The collapsed vein is reabsorbed into local tissue and eventually fades away. Common sclerosing agents include hypertonic saline and sodium tetradecyl sulfate which induce sclerosis through interference with cell membrane lipids in the endothelium of a vessel. STS and polidocanol are popular options for the treatment of telangiectasias. Polidocanol is designed to occlude the lumen of the vessel. The FDA approved polidocanol for the treatment of varicose and reticular veins less than 3 mm in diameter. Polidocanol damages the cell lining of blood vessels which causes them to close and eventually break down to be replaced by other healthy tissue.

Sclerotherapy is a proven procedure that has been used effectively as a simple, in-office treatment for decades. At Philosophy of Beauty, only an experienced and specially trained Sclerotherapy Registered Nurse performs the injection procedure.

A very fine needle is used to gently introduce the solution or foam into the vessel. During this part of the treatment, some patients experience minor, temporary stinging. The injection solution or foam irritates the lining of the vein, thereby causing it to swell shut and block the flow of blood. The process is very quick and in many cases, you can watch as visible veins disappear before your eyes. There are an abundance of supportive vessels and veins which are sufficient for managing healthy circulation without these relatively few, minor vessels.

After your treatment session, gentle compression is applied to keep blood out of the injected vessel and disperse the solution. The number of injections your session will include depends on the number and size of veins being treated.

Sclerotherapy is a minimally invasive procedure that does not require anaesthesia and one session usually takes between 15 minutes to an hour to complete, depending on the extent of spider veins to be treated. After recovery from your first treatment, subsequent follow up treatments may be required to ensure all visible spider veins are eliminated.

Spider veins tend to fade away within a few weeks of sclerotherapy treatment, although it may take up to two months to see full results. Depending on your situation, multiple treatments may be needed. A follow up visit is usually scheduled for 1 month after the procedure.

The Fotona Nd:Yag laser removes spider veins by targeting each blood vessel with pulses of laser light.  When the energy from the laser is absorbed by the blood in the vein and converted into heat, the vein walls are destroyed. As the vein dissolves, the body clears away the waste material just as it does when naturally resolving a bruise. Once the body has completed this process, the blood vessel material is permanently gone and skin is left smooth and clear. Those who are prone to forming spider veins may have the tendency to create more in the future. Fortunately, any newly developing veins can be quickly treated and maintenance treatments are encouraged for clear skin in the long term.

Non-invasive and gentle laser treatments can safely treat all skin tones and require no anesthetic or downtime.

Laser treatment for spider veins is typically broken down into 15 minute session. Some client’s may require several sessions to treat all affected veins.

Small, broken capillaries often lighten significantly immediately after treatment. Although it will vary on a case by case basis, generally, impressive results are evident within about 4 to 6 weeks.

Although there is a low risk of side effects with the treatment, it is common for the skin over the treated vessel to appear red and mildly swollen for a few hours after treatment. The most common side effect of the treatment is bruising, which naturally subsides within 2-3 weeks.

Your individual circumstances and medical history will help us, together with you, to determine your individualized treatment plan. At Philosophy of Beauty, we pride ourselves on providing customized treatments discussed during a a complimentary consultation with one of our practitioners.

Conveniently located in Vaughan, we proudly service clients in the Thornhill and Greater Toronto Areas, helping them look and feel their best, from the inside out.