Spider Veins
THE DERMATOLOGIST SAYS:
The good news about spider veins is that unless you have a heavy spider veins situation, sclerotherapy injections can reduce them pretty easily. Injections cost $300 per treatment on average, and large areas require multiple treatments over several months. If you are up for the expense, start now dermatologist recommends, because spider veins (which are red or purple) tend to look worse after the treatment before they heal and look better.
Here’s what happens: “A dermatologist doctor injects saline solution or sodium tetradecyl sulfate directly into the spider vein, where it breaks down the inner lining of the dilated blood vessel. It causes some bleeding – which is why just-treated spider veins look worse – but the body reabsorbs the blood as they heal, and then they’re no longer visible.
THE VASCULAR SURGEON SAYS:
Sclerotherapy is the best way to get rid of spider veins, but if they’re accompanied by aching, burning, cramping, heaviness, or swelling, you should go to a vascular surgeon for an ultrasound. These could be symptoms of leaking valves from larger veins that need to be treated first. If you have no discomfort, your spider veins are probably purely cosmetic. One slight bummer: Spider veins tend to come back creeping back over time. To help prevent a recurrence of spider veins, wear compression stockings when you know you’ll be on your feet for long periods. They’re not sexy, but they keep blood from pooling in the outer veins – where it can form spiders – and help make sure it circulates properly.
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THE MAKEUP ARTIST SAYS:
First, try self-tanner. It doesn’t cover spider veins, but they won’t stand out as much on golden-colored skin. The only way to really make spider veins disappear is to use body foundation, which has a more opaque consistency than regular base. To prep legs, gently exfoliate in the shower, then apply a rich body cream (Eucerin Plus Intensive Repair Body Crème). Use your fingers to pat and press the foundation into and around the spider vein. Don’t rub, or you’ll lose the coverage you need. If you’re really self-conscious about your spider veins, press translucent powder on top of the foundation to keep it in place all day.
