Remove spider veins

Dr. med. Julia Schwarz is a freelance writer in the medical department.

More about the experts All content is checked by medical journalists.

Would you like to have spider veins removed? This can be done by means of laser therapy, flash lamps or desolation. You have to pay for the cosmetic procedure yourself - the statutory health insurances do not cover the costs. Therefore, some people try to do something about the red or blue veins themselves. Read here what options there are, how the doctor can remove spider veins and what the costs are!

ICD codes for this disease: ICD codes are internationally recognized codes for medical diagnoses. They can be found, for example, in doctor's letters or on certificates of incapacity for work. I86I83

What can be done against spider veins?

Removing spider veins is not absolutely necessary from a medical point of view. The fine, superficial veins, which - mostly on the legs - shimmer reddish to bluish through the skin, are usually harmless and do not cause any discomfort. However, if those affected are bothered by the appearance, there are various methods of having the spider veins removed professionally. The expert for this is a specialist in vascular surgery (phlebologist).

You can also do a lot against spider veins yourself. Measures such as regular exercise, alternating showers and a healthy diet can improve the blood circulation in the skin and thus counteract (new) spider veins.

Remove spider veins at the doctor's

Spider vein treatment by the specialist requires a precise diagnostic evaluation: the doctor will usually examine the leg veins using ultrasound to assess the severity of the spider veins and to examine the condition of the deeper veins.

There are several methods that doctors can use to remove spider veins. All can usually be performed without anesthesia and on an outpatient basis. The patient can therefore go home on the same day. However, a single visit to the doctor is usually not enough - spider vein treatment usually requires several sessions, each of which can last between ten and 30 minutes, for optimal success.

Laser spider veins

Sometimes the doctor will use a laser device to remove the spider veins. In this way he “shoots” bundled light energy (monochromatic laser light) in a very targeted manner on the fine, enlarged veins. The blood pigment hemoglobin absorbs the high-energy laser radiation and converts it into heat. This causes the blood in the treated vessel to heat up strongly. The vessel walls are damaged, stick together and permanently seal the vessel.

Laser removal of spider veins is suitable for particularly thin vessels and does not usually leave any scars. Sometimes pigment changes in the skin in the treated area appear after the treatment, but these often go away on their own. Temporarily wearing compression stockings can speed up the healing process.

Remove spider veins with the flash lamp

A flash lamp can also remove spider veins. It emits single-colored light impulses ("intensed pulsed light", IPL) to the skin, which absorb the color pigments of the blood in the spider veins as well as with lasers. This heats up and destroys the vessels.

This method is particularly suitable when the spider veins affect a larger area of ​​skin. Like the laser spider vein treatment, it takes place in several sessions and can make the annoying veins almost completely disappear.

Remove spider veins by sclerotherapy

Injecting a sclerosing agent (such as polidocanol) into the affected vessels, the spider veins can be sclerosed (sclerotherapy). The doctor pricks the small enlarged vessels with a very fine needle and injects a sclerosing agent (e.g. polidocanol). This spreads in the affected vessels and sticks them together. As a result, the spider veins become deserted, die and are broken down by the body.

The injected sclerosing agent can cause a slight burning sensation because it specifically irritates the inner walls of the vessels in order to cause them to scar. Shortly after the treatment, the freshly glued vessels may still be visible as bruises. As with spider vein lasers, those affected should wear compression stockings for a few days after the procedure.

The final result can only be assessed after a few weeks, when the body has broken down the destroyed vessels. After the treatment, you should move your legs as much as possible. It is also advisable to refrain from going to the sauna or other heat applications that can dilate the veins for the time being.

Removing spider veins: costs

The removal of spider veins is considered a cosmetic procedure and is therefore not paid for by statutory health insurances. The cost varies depending on the type of treatment. In addition, there are sometimes considerable price differences between the various providers. For example, laser spider veins can be significantly more expensive for some doctors than for others.

Since several sessions are usually necessary to remove the troublesome veins, the total costs can amount to several hundred euros. Find out in advance about the expected costs of the spider vein treatment and compare the prices of different providers!

Remove spider veins without medical help

What helps against spider veins apart from treatment by a doctor? On the one hand, spider veins can be covered - on the legs, for example, with opaque tights, on the face with the help of make-up.

In addition, there are some measures you can take to improve blood circulation in the skin and thus counteract (new) spider veins. These include:

• regular exercise such as cycling, running, or swimming
• Massages and alternating showers
• healthy eating

You can read more about these measures under Spider veins prevention.

These lifestyle measures cannot eliminate an existing predisposition to spider veins. Nevertheless, it can often be used to achieve good results for the complexion of the skin. You may not even have to see a doctor to have the spider veins removed.

Tags:  fitness elderly care menshealth