Don’t Let Your Spider Veins See Another Spring

We love living in Northern Michigan because of all the outdoor fun that is so close at hand. Hiking, boating, golfing, camping, swimming in Traverse Bay or myriad other lakes. In the summers it seems we’re always in shorts, a sundress, or a swimsuit.

As we’re heading into Thanksgiving, the sundresses are now relaxing in the closet. That makes this the perfect time to get your legs ready for next spring and summer. All you need do is schedule a session at Northern Michigan Vein Specialists to let us get rid of those spider veins coursing about on your legs.

What Are Spider Veins?

Spider veins are those clusters of red, purple, or blue tiny blood vessels just beneath the surface of your skin. They form as we age and the veins that route our de-oxygenated blood back to the heart and lungs aren’t as firm as they once were. Granted, they must fight an uphill battle with gravity the entire way, but the vein walls can become weaker, allowing blood to pool. Also, our support tissues are entrusted to help the veins push the blood, but they also lose some of their strength as we age.

The result is spider veins. They are different from varicose veins, which bulge upward through the surface skin. Varicose veins can be quite painful, and they are much larger. Spider veins usually don’t involve pain, except when you look down at your legs and you see them!

What Is Sclerotherapy?

Sclerotherapy is a simple, minimally invasive solution for spider veins. It involves taking a very fine needle filled with a sclerosant solution (usually mostly saline). The sclerosant is injected directly into or next to the spider vein, and the solution irritates the walls of the vein. This causes the vein to close off. Any blood that was running through the vein is instantly redirected to a healthier adjacent vein. The spider vein is instantly lessened in appearance. Then the body goes about the business of scavenging and removing the vein over the course of the next few weeks. Eventually it will be completely gone.

Winter Is The Time

If you’ve been irritated by the squiggly purple and blue lines that have shown up on your calves and ankles, a Michigan winter is the perfect time to do something about them with Dr. Heeringa and our team at Northern Michigan Vein Specialists.

To get your legs ready for all the fun times to be had in shorts and swimsuits next spring and summer, call us at Northern Michigan Vein Specialists, (231) 936-2068, to make your appointment at our Traverse City or Cadillac locations.