August 22, 2012
Spider veins 101: How to win the unsightly badge of aging legs
Even if you have nice tight and toned legs, those little blue spider vein marks can make your legs look older than you would like.
In the simplest of terms, veins serve as a channel for blood to flow back to the heart. Valves open and close to assist blood flow and to prevent blood from following a normal pull of gravity. Varicose veins can result from damaged or weakened valves, which allow blood to build up in certain areas.
There are numerous products and medical procedures for you to regain fashionably bare legs. Varicose veins can become painful if left untreated, can lead to severe blood clots, skin discoloration, skin ulcers and tissue loss. For women with varicose veins, shaving can be difficult because of the raised veins overlying thin skin.
Less troublesome are spider veins, milder relatives to varicose veins, are fine, short veins resembling a tangled web or sunburst. The most common place for varicose and spider veins to occur are in the legs, more specifically within the thigh, calf and ankles.
Spider veins, various veins, blotches and pigment loss affect half of all people 50 and older according to the US Department of Health and Human Services. In addition there are several vein other problems including spider veins, the tiny bluish ones usually in an area on the legs. While they’re usually not harmful, many consider them unsightly.
Top Beverly Hills board certified plastic surgeon Dr. Peter Fodor recommends sclerotherapy, an insertion of saline and chemicals into the vein, and less invasive laser treatment as well. “Lasers can be used to effectively treat small and medium size spider veins. They’re an excellent option for patients who are fearful of needles as well as for those who do not tolerate sclerotherapy or whose vessels do not respond to scelrotherapy,” says Dr. Fodor. “A properly skilled and experienced physician using the correct type of laser can accurately direct strong bursts of light energy through the skin, causing the targeted vein to slowly fade and disappear. The treatment is noninvasive and the administration of pain medications or local anesthetic usually is not necessary. Cooling the area helps alleviate any discomfort. Laser treatments typically last 15 to 20 minutes , and a treatment regimen to remove spider veins in the legs, depending on the severity of the condition, usually consists of two to five sessions, with the average being three treatments being administered at three month intervals.”
“Spider veins will appear darker and more visible immediately following laser treatment but will fade over two to six weeks. Patients will usually see a 30 to 40 percent improvement in leg spider veins following each treatment session. Some possible side effects associated with laser treatment of leg veins include redness or swelling of the skin immediately following treatment, which usually disappears wihin a few days,” explains Dr. Fodor.
There are other strategies to prevent and camoflauge spider veins, including:
Cosmetic and compression stockings
Many doctors, nurses and those who are on their feet swear by these garments that are worn to reduce stress and swelling of the legs by providing pressure around the foot and ankle, and becoming looser as it moves up the leg. The constant pressure assists leg muscles and veins to circulate blood.
Toeless Pantyhose by Hanes is a well priced option. Donna Karan Hosiery: The Nudes Sheer To Waist Pantyhose is super-fine to look virtually invisible but still effective giving a smooth glow to the legs. It gives you a look closer to bare. With both of these, one has to be sure that the edge of the toe hole is concealed in the shoe.
Cosmetics
Leg Makeup is all the rage, with comedian Joan Rivers in the game as well as Sally Hansen Airbrush Legs, a drugstore recommendation.
Another great product is Gleam Body Radiance, invented in the makeup trailer of Dancing with the Stars by Emmy award winning makeup artist Melanie Mills. Gleam comes in four transfer-resistant shades for all skintones (www.gleambymelaniemills.com) to perfect spray tans, pigmentation issues and can be worn on bare skin for a perfect flawless finish. Another heavy duty camoflauge is Dermablend Professional Leg and Body Cover is especially designed to conceal veins, scars and bruises. Self tanning and spray tans also help with concealment.
Supplements
Horse Chestnut Seed Extract, according to Dr. Oz, will help make the veins smaller and they will leak less so you don’t see them. You need to take 10 drops of this each day and you will see results in a few weeks.
Strategy
Elevate: Raising your legs above the level of your heart for 15 minutes at a time maintains circulation.
Stretch It Out: When you are sitting or standing for long periods of time, alter your position. Maintain good posture, roll your ankles and avoid crossing your legs.
Diet: Weight control can help vein conditions because of the amount of pressure you put on your legs and body.
Take a Walk: Movement is the easiest treatment you can control. Keeping blood circulation steady is key to preventing blood clots.
