Monmouth County Vascular Doctor: Vein Differences

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Spider veins and varicose veins are similar in superficial ways – both are caused by vein disease, both are cosmetic issues because they're not very attractive, and both keep those who suffer from them from feeling good about their appearance. But if you are considering Jersey Shore vein treatment, there are important differences between these two conditions that you should be aware of.

Spider veins and varicose veins are very different in appearance

Spider veins are small, less than 1 millimeter in diameter. They are red or purple in color, and tend to appear on legs, arms, or elsewhere on the body, either in web-like clusters (thus the name) or in "nests" which can look like a bruise. Varicose veins are larger, 4 to 5 millimeters in diameter or larger, and tend to protrude above the surface of the skin. They are usually bluish-purple in color (taking their coloration from the deoxygenated blood that has pooled in them).

Spider veins and varicose veins affect you very differently

Other than spoiling your appearance, spider veins don't usually cause negative symptoms. They are rarely painful the way varicose veins are, and as a result removal of spider veins is usually performed for cosmetic reasons. Varicose veins, however, can often become extremely painful. The underlying disease that causes them (chronic venous insufficiency, or CVI) causes profound impairment to your circulation, so untreated varicose veins often result in legs that ache constantly and feel weak and tired. Extreme side effects of varicose veins can leave you essentially disabled, unable to stand or walk for more than a few minutes. They also cripple your immune system, increasing your risk of heart disease, stroke, and diabetes. Varicose vein treatment on the Jersey Shore is performed as often to alleviate these symptoms as it is for cosmetic reasons.

Spider veins and varicose veins are treated very differently

If you choose to seek treatment to eliminate your spider veins, the standard treatment methodology is sclerotherapy, either light-assisted or ultrasound-guided. This is a gentle procedure in which your Monmouth County vascular doctor use a tiny needle to inject a chemical or saline solution directly into the affected veins, causing them to collapse. Larger and more problematic varicose veins are also treated with sclerotherapy, but more extensive minimally-invasive procedures such as radiofrequency ablation and microphlebectomy may also be used, depending on the case.

The exact type of treatment you receive depends on your condition, but one thing that is consistent whether you are having your spider veins or your varicose veins removed is that the treatment will be fast (usually less than an hour), painless (often requiring no anesthetic), and non-traumatic (there is no "recovery time" because there is nothing to recover from). You literally walk into our Monmouth County vein clinic with your swollen veins and walk out without them. To find out more about treatment of either spider veins or varicose veins, give us a call today at 732-403-3899. We'll be happy to answer any questions you might have.

Author Bio: A noted Monmouth County Spider Vein Doctor discusses the differences between spider veins and varicose veins.