sclerotherapy Archives - Delaware Vein Center

Our blood moves through the body via blood vessels with the goal of reaching our heart. But when blood has a hard time being transported, it can pool up in our veins. This can manifest itself as bulging in legs, hands, and feet. These swollen veins can look unappealing and really show off our age.

The good news is most bulging veins aren’t actually a sign of poor health. But there are instances where they may arise from an underlying disease. Whatever the cause or effect, let’s discuss everything you need to know about bulging veins.

8 Common Causes of Bulging Veins

Bulging veins can be identified by their rope-like shape and bluish-green tone. While they’re not an inherent health threat, none of us want to have them on our skin. So why are my veins popping out? Here are some of the reasons why they appear:

Aging: As we age, our skin gets thinner and less elastic, making our blood vessels more visible. While not particularly desirable, it’s all part of the aging process.
Genetics: Having family members with bulging veins increases your chances of getting them.
Hot Weather: Heat can make veins more prominent and enlarged. Because they have to work harder in high temperatures, veins become more visible.
Hormone Imbalance: Pregnancy or menopause can lead to a hormone imbalance. One of the symptoms is bulging veins. Pregnancy may also put pressure on veins, making it harder for blood flow to get back to the heart.
Exercise: Heavy lifting for long periods of time can make blood flow increase. The muscles harden, causing more visible blood vessels. Over-stretching can also play a role in making veins pop out.
Blood Clots: Also known as thrombophlebitis, this condition can cause swollen veins that feel tough.
Body Fat Loss: Our skin has a layer of fat that serves as an insulator. When you lose weight, that layer thins, making veins more visible.
Health Conditions: Underlying heart problems can cause a chronic increase in blood pressure. This weakens the veins and can cause popping.

The causes of bulging veins differ from that of varicose veins. Varicose veins are often caused by damaged or weakened valves. Not all bulging veins are varicose veins, deeming them generally harmless. But if they cause pain and discomfort, it may be an underlying problem from untreated varicose veins. Let’s explain.

Are Bulging Veins the Same as Varicose Veins?

There are a few ways to tell the difference between a regular bulging vein and varicose veins. The first is where the vein is located. Bulging veins can pop up in various places. But varicose veins usually show up on your legs. This is where blood has to work the hardest to travel back to your heart.

Though similar in appearance, varicose and bulging veins have a slightly different look to them. They both have a rope-like structure. But varicose veins are generally larger and more twisted. Bulging veins are smaller with a green-blue hue. Varicose veins have a more purple-blue color.

Symptoms can help you identify whether you’re dealing with bulging or varicose veins. Bulging veins can be purely aesthetic and may have no real symptoms. Varicose veins; however, come with pain, discomfort, swelling, changes in skin texture, and even ulcers.

Can Bulging Veins Go Away?

Usually, bulging veins will go away on their own. Especially ones that are caused by exercise or hot weather. But if popping veins run in your family or come from underlying conditions, you may need treatment to help them go away. Here are some options:

Over-the-counter anti-inflammatory drugs can help decrease the swelling of bulging veins.
Sclerotherapy injects a chemical solution into targeted veins and makes them close.
Ambulatory phlebectomy is the removal of the targeted veins via small incisions. While you’re under general anesthesia, your doctor will make an incision, tie off the vein, and remove it. The blood that used to run in the vein is automatically shifted and the closed vein eventually fades away.

What Can You Do To Prevent Bulging Veins From Forming?

As we’ve learned, bulging veins often have genetic causes. So while we can’t always stop them from forming, there are things we can do to lessen the appearance of bulging veins or prevent new ones from popping up.

Improve Your Heart Rate, Reduce Your Weight

Routine exercise improves circulation, prevents blood from pooling in veins, and helps with weight loss. Being overweight puts extra pressure on your veins. This increases your chances of developing bulging veins. So maintaining a healthy diet and workout routine is an advantageous step in treating or preventing bulging veins.

Sport a Pro-Vein Wardrobe

Wearing tight clothing could actually be the cause of your vein problems. Overly fitted garments restrain blood flow, which can then cause bulging veins to form. Sporting a loose-fitting, free-flowing wardrobe can help. And to further reduce your risk, compression socks can even out the pressure on your veins and prevent blood pooling.

Switch up Your Position

Refrain from standing, sitting, or crossing your legs for extended periods of time. Doing so can cause blood to pool in your veins. Elevating your legs to a position higher than your heart can also improve blood flow. Taking periodic breaks and stretching are both helpful ways to prevent and lessen bulging veins.

Trade Bad Habits for Healthy Ones

We all know that smoking is bad for us. It damages our blood vessels and restricts blood flow. This enlarges your veins and can cause them to bulge out. If you don’t want this to happen, stop smoking and start drinking—water that is. Getting lots of hydration keeps the blood flowing. This reduces pressure on your veins and can even help with skin elasticity.

When All Else Fails, Bulging Veins Can Be Fixed

Bulging veins are not a serious medical issue for the majority of people. But if you’re concerned that your popping veins are something serious (or if you just don’t like the way they look) make an appointment with a vein doctor.

If there’s a serious problem with your veins, a doctor can recommend treatment. And if you want them removed for cosmetic purposes, they can also make a suggestion for the best procedure. If bulging veins are a sign of a more serious condition, your doctor will offer specific medical treatments.

Filed under: Vein Health, Vein TreatmentTagged with: ambulatory phlebectomy, bulging veins in legs, popping veins, sclerotherapy, why are my veins popping out

Do you have any concerns about your legs turning a reddish-brown color? This could be an indication that the veins in question are suffering from hemosiderin staining and potential problems with their health.

As we get older, it’s normal for our skin to thin, dry out, and lose elasticity. But it can be more concerning when you notice unusual changes in color and texture on your knees, legs, or ankles. If you notice a brown discoloration on the lower legs, it could point out a problem with your veins. For this reason alone, it’s important to understand why brown skin stains appear and what you can do to treat them.

What Is Hemosiderin Staining?

Hemosiderin staining occurs when red blood cells leak through the veins and iron or other byproducts are released. The brown stain shows up on the skin as a result of this symptom, which can happen for several reasons.

What Causes Hemosiderin Staining?

Chronic Vein Disease

In addition to its unsightly appearance, hemosiderin staining indicates an underlying health condition. The reddish-brown discoloration on the lower legs is caused by chronic venous disease–the abnormal function of veins.

When your veins can’t pump blood back up to the heart properly, it pools in your lower legs. Symptoms start with slight skin irritations and itchiness, then manifest varicose veins. Other vein disease symptoms that can lead to brown staining are:

High blood pressure – veins force blood through the veins and sometimes through the skin.
Vein ulcers – slow-healing or non-healing wounds.

As blood continues to pool in the veins, its cells break down and leak iron pigments into the skin. Over time, this shows up as brown patches or stains on the lower leg or ankle. When unaddressed, the stain will darken and eventually may turn black. At this point, these symptoms are unfortunately permanent even when vein disease is treated. BUT! If caught early enough, chronic venous disease can be controlled and hemosiderin staining will fade.

Sclerotherapy Staining Side-Effect

Sclerotherapy is one of the treatment options for vein disease and varicose veins. It involves the injection of a substance known as a sclerosant into the affected veins. This makes the veins reduce in size.

In some cases, this treatment may leave the patient with brown skin discoloration as a result of hemosiderin (iron) deposits. This discoloration is usually transient and disappears in a couple of weeks; however, in some people, the stain ends up being permanent.

If you are considering sclerotherapy treatment, consider the following factors that are associated with the hemosiderin staining side effect:

Dark skin type
Sensitive skin
Older patients with fragile veins
Taking certain medication
Experience of the vein doctor

Treating the Condition, NOT the Symptom

Most patients will go to a dermatologist or primary care physician for the skin condition, not the underlying vein disease of hemosiderin staining. As a result, they may not get an accurate diagnosis.

If you have brown skin discoloration on the knees, lower legs, or ankles, make an appointment with a vein specialist as this could be early signs of vein disease…especially if accompanied by achy, heavy, and swollen legs.

Early treatment of your vein disease may help lighten the brown stains caused by hemosiderin staining, and even keep them from getting darker. Once diagnosed, the goal is to reroute the blood to healthier veins and fade unwanted veins, stains, and pains. The sooner you treat your vein condition, the better you’ll feel and the fewer complications you’ll experience.

Filed under: Varicose Veins, Vein Health, Vein TreatmentTagged with: brown legs, hemosiderin staining, sclerotherapy, skin discoloration, varicose veins, vein health, vein treatment

Just when you thought the spider veins on your legs were a problem, you notice them on your face. Yikes! But not to worry, this is completely normal. The skin on the face is thin, sensitive, and constantly exposed to the elements. It’s the perfect storm to develop spider veins.

The good news is, facial spider veins are preventable…or if it’s too late, treatable! In this article, we’ll talk you through why the happen and how you can remove them for good.

What Causes Spider Veins on the Face?

Spider veins form when the capillaries in the skin on your face become dilated. This happens from poor blood circulation and aging, damaged skin. Broken blood vessels on the face can develop at any age, but some people may have a higher chance of developing them than others.

Some causes of broken blood vessels on the face include:

Genetics: People with family members who experience spider veins are more likely to have them.
Excessive sun exposure: Sun damage can enlarge the blood vessels and draw them closer to the skin.
Changes in weather: Drastic changes in the weather can affect blood circulation, causing the skin in the face to flush. The blood vessels may burst and cause a spider vein.
Changes in pressure: A sudden, extreme change in pressure can cause spider veins to appear. A hard sneeze or vomiting can cause this change in pressure.
Pregnancy: Hormonal changes during pregnancy may also cause spider veins on the face. But they usually disappear after birth.
Environmental irritants: Exposure to certain chemicals or environmental pollutants may damage the skin and make blood vessels more visible.
Rosacea: Rosacea is a common condition that causes fair skin to become flushed and red due to enlarged veins.
Alcohol consumption: Alcohol can dilate the blood vessels temporarily. Frequent alcohol consumption can lead to longer-lasting broken blood vessels and redness on the face.
Injuries: Head injuries that cause bruising may cause broken blood vessels. In this case, the blood vessels usually heal when the bruise does.

Treatment for Spider Veins on the Face

Sclerotherapy: Sclerotherapy uses injections of sclerosing agents to help spider veins disappear in a short period of time.
Laser Therapy: Laser therapy uses intense laser lights to destroy spider veins. However, laser therapy can also damage the skin, which could make it sensitive during recovery.
Intense Pulled Light (IPL) Therapy: IPL therapy uses special lights that penetrate into the deeper layers of skin without damaging the top layer. This treatment may mean less recovery time and less damage to the skin.

Home Remedies for Spider Veins on the Face

Cold compress: A simple cold compress, such as an ice pack or bag of frozen peas, can be applied to the face after sun or heat exposure. The cold may help reduce the appearance of burst blood vessels in the face.
Apple cider vinegar: Apple cider vinegar acts as an astringent on the skin, pulling it tight to reduce redness. This may help with the appearance of spider veins in some people.
Aloe vera: The gel from an aloe vera plant may be helpful in treating skin redness. Research has found that aloe vera could reduce redness but it tends to dry out the skin cells.
Vitamin C: Vitamin C supplements may help reduce the appearance of broken blood vessels on the face. It plays a key role in keeping the blood vessels healthy.

How to Prevent Spider Veins on the Face

Avoid extreme heat: Very high temperatures from spas, saunas, or hot water may dilate the blood vessels and increase the chances of spider veins appearing.
Limit sun exposure: Wearing sunscreen, a hat, and long layers of clothing can help reduce the chances of spider veins from sun damage.
Wear protection: Protective gear may help avoid spider veins caused by an injury. Examples include facemasks and helmets for baseball, cycling, or riding a motorcycle.
Avoid vasodilators: Vasodilators cause vessels to fill with blood and may make spider veins more noticeable. Common vasodilators include caffeine, spicy foods, and alcohol.

Spider veins cause no pain or additional symptoms. But it’s normal to be bothered by their appearance. If this sounds like you, try to determine the direct cause and take steps to treat it and avoid it from happening again. In some cases, broken blood vessels on the face may be a sign of an underlying medical condition. Anyone uncertain about the cause of their spider veins should visit a vein specialist for a proper examination and diagnosis.

Filed under: Spider Veins, Vein TreatmentTagged with: home remedies, sclerotherapy, spider veins, spider veins on face, sun damage, veins on the face

Getting rid of spider veins or varicose veins can seem like a daunting task. Treatment may include lifestyle changes, compression stockings, or non-invasive procedures.

Before you even consider making a doctor’s appointment, you may have a lot of questions like:

What treatments are available?
Does insurance cover it?
And of course, how much is it going to cost?

Let’s dive into pricing and insurance for spider veins and varicose vein treatment.

Common Vein Removal Treatments and Their Cost

How much it will cost to finally say goodbye to painful, unwanted veins for good?

Now, there’s no one-size-fits-all answer because different procedures have different costs. Let’s break down the price tags associated with each.

Sclerotherapy

What is it? A common treatment for spider veins and small varicose veins. The vein is injected with a solution that breaks down the vein walls.
Does insurance cover it? No. It’s considered cosmetic.
How much does it cost? The average cost of a sclerotherapy treatment is about $350. The provider’s fee and geographic location will affect the cost.

Ablations

What is it? Radio Frequency Ablation (RFA) is a procedure used to treat varicose veins and patients with venous insufficiency. A catheter is inserted into the vein and delivers a high-frequency current to collapse it.
Does insurance cover it? Vein ablations for varicose veins are covered by most insurance plans. You will need to check your plan’s coverage as you may be responsible for a portion depending on your plan.
How much does it cost? The average cost of a vein ablation is about $1500-$2000 per vein out of pocket.

What Can Affect the Cost of Vein Procedures?

Medical versus Cosmetic: If you have a medical diagnosis of vein disease, your insurance may cover treatment. You still may be responsible for your copay or deductible depending on your plan. If it’s purely cosmetic, insurance will not cover it.
The Number of Treatments: The reality is, you may need more than one treatment to get the best results. It can require up to four depending on the severity of your veins.

Insurance That May Cover Vein Removal Treatment

Medicare, most HMOs, and other major insurance plans will cover vein treatment if medically necessary. You may need to get prior authorization before the procedure. In most cases, your doctor’s office will get the necessary authorizations for you. Find out what insurance plans we take.

How to Identify Your Insurance Coverage

The best way to find out if vein treatment is covered by your insurance plan is to call. Give them detailed information about what treatment you need. You may need the provider’s information and procedure code, which you can get from the doctor’s office that is going to do the procedure.

What to Do if the Procedure Isn’t Covered

If your insurance does not cover the vein procedure, you may be able to pay out of pocket. You can also set up a payment plan with your doctor’s office or apply for Health Care financing through Care Credit.

Why Vein Procedures Are Worth It

Remember, paying for spider or varicose vein treatment is an investment in yourself. It continues to prove worthwhile to a growing number of our patients.

There will be no more leg pain or discomfort. You can get back to activities you love and show off your vein-free legs!

Filed under: Spider Veins, Varicose Veins, Vein TreatmentTagged with: sclerotherapy, varicose veins, vein doctor, vein treatment

It’s the eternal struggle of vein removal – the debate between sclerotherapy or laser.

Both treatments are effective with minimal side effects, but they do have advantages and disadvantages alike.

But what’s easier and better for your veins? Let’s take a look at both methods for treating spider veins:

Sclerotherapy

Sclerotherapy is a non-surgical treatment for spider veins. The doctor injects a chemical, called a sclerosant into a vein, causing it to collapse and dry out. The vein gets reabsorbed by the body and disappears.

Sclerotherapy is best for superficial spider veins on the legs and hands. It’s less expensive, faster, and more effective than laser treatment. Sclerotherapy is also better for people with darker skin. Lasers produce light that can cause discoloration in people with tanned skin.

Laser Treatment

Laser treatment for spider veins is more expensive. and perceived as more painful. But laser treatments are considered the best way to treat spider veins on the face. There are several types of laser treatments:

IPL: Laser and intense pulsed light (IPL) treatments are non-invasive and chemical-free. It involves directing light at the veins from outside the skin. IPL or surface laser treatments take about 15 to 20 minutes depending on the extent of the area. The most common side effect is a temporary purple skin pigmentation that looks like bruising. There can also be some temporary redness, swelling or blistering.

Surface Laser Therapy: Your doctor can treat small-to-medium varicose veins with a laser through the skin, much like with spider veins. Different kinds of lasers can penetrate the skin and reach the veins. The skin is cooled to avoid burning, but patients still report more pain than sclerotherapy.

Endovenous Laser Therapy: Endovenous laser therapy (EVLT) is an effective treatment for larger varicose veins. A laser probe is inserted directly into the vein. As the probe is withdrawn, the intense heat from the laser cauterizes the vein from the inside, causing it to collapse. A single EVLT procedure is more effective than sclerotherapy, which requires multiple sessions.

The Choice is Up to You and Your Vein Doctor

Both treatments get rid of pesky spider veins and leave your skin looking smooth. And many patients have both types of vein problems and both types of treatment may be recommended.

The choice of treatment often depends on the location of the veins. Sclerotherapy is better for treating larger varicose veins, especially those on the legs, while laser therapy suits thinner veins on other parts of the body. Sometimes it may need a combination approach to get the best results.

Be sure to talk to your vein doctor to choose the treatment that is most effective and most comfortable for you. The best method for you may be different from that of someone else with the same vein problems. That’s why it’s important to choose an experienced vein specialist for medical advice. He or she can take into account your condition and your unique individual needs.

Filed under: Vein TreatmentTagged with: sclerotherapy, spider veins, vein treatment