Spider Veins Spider veins are dilated small blood vessels located close to the surface of the skin. In sclerotherapy, a procedure for both spider veins and varicose veins, the doctor uses a tiny needle to inject a medication that irritates the vein lining. In response, the veins collapse and are reabsorbed by the body. A new device that allows the doctor to see the tiniest spider veins is improving the results of sclerotherapy treatment. It's almost like seeing through the upper layers of the skin.
Doctors also use lasers to treat spider veins.
The newest lasers employ wavelengths just beyond visible light to penetrate the skin without heating the skin pigment, a method that reduces the risk of burns or injury. Those need to be taken care of or people will waste money and time on a treatment that may not work. The tip we give patients for both spider veins and varicose veins is that if they don't see any improvement, something else may be going on and it's a good idea to seek a second opinion from a specialist. Goldman cautions that some lasers work and some don't. Many people have a Buck Rogers view about lasers, that they must be good, but in fact, they can be more painful, cause more problems, and cost more than conventional surgical treatments.