Summer has arrived, and the beach is waiting. You’ve been working on your weight, and exercising to keep trim; but recently you’ve noticed ugly spider veins developing on your legs.

Relax. Not only are leg veins more common than you probably realize, they are also quick and simple to treat. The most common treatment is sclerotherapy (see below), a minor procedure that doesn’t need any form of anesthesia, and is between 50 and 90 percent successful.

The professionals at the AgeLess Center in Atlanta use a simple procedure that produces minimal discomfort. All it involves is an injection into the vein of a special solution via a tiny micro-needle. Basically, the solution makes the vein close and gradually the spider veins disappear.

What Are Spider Veins?

Similar to varicose veins, but a lot smaller and closer to the surface, spider veins may be blue or red. Generally they take the shape of miniature tree branches or spindly spiders webs, and look little, jagged lines on the skin. Sometimes they cover very small areas of skin, but they can cover large areas too.

Spider veins and varicose veins most commonly show up in the legs because of the sheer pressure of body weight combined with the force of gravity. It stands to reason, because of all the body’s veins, those in the legs have the toughest task, having to carry blood all the way back to the heart.

The Cause of Spider Veins

While varicose veins are often caused by weakened or damaged vein valves, smaller spider veins are more commonly caused by the backup of blood in the system. They may also be caused by injury, hormonal changes, or (perhaps ironically) by exposure to the sun.

According to the US Department of Health and Human Services, 50 to 55 percent of women and 40 to 45 percent of men suffer from some kind of veins problem. Factors that increase the risks of both varicose and spider veins include increasing age, hormonal changes, obesity, pregnancy, lack of movement (which implies a lack of exercise), genetics, and for fair-skinned people, exposure to the sun.

Are Spider Veins a Health Hazard?

While rarely a serious health issue, spider veins do commonly cause some discomfort, usually in the form of burning or itching.

Sclerotherapy

As mentioned above, sclerotherapy is the most common treatment used for spider veins. It is also a common treatment for varicose veins. The procedure is minor, and all it involves is an injection of a liquid chemical into the spider vein. This causes the walls of the vein to swell, stick together and then seal shut. The flow of blood stops and the vein becomes scar tissue. According to the Department of Health and Human Services, in most cases it take just a few weeks to fade completely.

In addition to the fact that no anesthetics are used, patients can return to normal activities immediately after treatment.

One-off treatments don’t always work, and the same vein may need to be treated more than once. There are also a few side effects that some people suffer from, though these are minor and generally disappear soon after treatment. They include stinging, minor bruises and red patches of skin as well as spots and brown lines around treated veins. Even if blood gets trapped in veins when the treatment is done, this isn’t dangerous and is quickly relieved by taking aspiring and applying heat.

So before you head off to the beach, check your legs for spider veins and let the professionals at the AgeLess Center minimize them now. Then you can really enjoy summer.