SCARED OF SPIDERS?

Q: WHAT CAUSES THEM? A: Q: HOW CAN THEY BE TREATED? A: Q: BUT DON’T WE NEED VEINS FOR BLOOD CIRCULATION? A:

face are often the result of sun exposure. Mostly, spider veins don’t hurt, although occasionally, they can cause aching, numbness and tingling. Spider veins, that is. Dr John Tan of The Vein Clinic & Surgery explains the causes of those red or purple clusters of thread-like veins and what can be done.

Spider veins are not harmful to health and do not need to be treated. That said, if their appearance is troubling you or if they’re causing you pain, there are different approaches to tackling them.

Many clinics offer laser and light therapies, but spider veins don’t always respond well to them. My preferred approach is to start with an ultrasound to exclude problems in the deeper veins, then treat the spider veins with sclerotherapy, a 30-minute procedure that involves the injection of a chemical directly into the affected veins, causing them to shrink, close and eventually disappear. Most people find it feels like a series of ant bites. I may combine this procedure with the use of a special laser for better results.

Note, though, that spider veins may reappear, particularly if you become pregnant. Love wearing short skirts, but not the unsightly spider veins (proper name: telangiectasia) on your legs? Or maybe you have them around your nose and are tired of covering them with makeup. Dr John Tan, founder of and consultant vascular surgeon at The Vein Clinic & Surgery, gives the low-down on these red or purple clusters of dilated blood vessels that can be seen through the skin. founder of and consultant vascular surgeon at The Vein Clinic & Surgery

Spider veins – so called because of their fine, weblike appearance – can be hereditary. They can also be caused by increased blood pressure in the veins, which can result from prolonged standing or sitting, and hormonal changes such as pregnancy. Those on the

There’s no need to worry about that as the body has many other veins through which blood flows. The spider veins are already damaged, so eliminating them actually improves your circulation.