What are Spider Veins?
Spider veins are small unsightly blood vessels just below the surface of the skin. Spider veins can appear as early as in ones 20's and are purely cosmetic, often not an expression of a medical disease.
Telengiactasia, Venulectasias and Reticular Veins
There are three different types of blood vessels: Telengiactasia, Venulectasias and Reticular Veins.
| Telengiectasias | Telengiectasias veins became known as “spider veins” because they radiate out of a central area. They are 0.1mm to 1mm in diameter. |
| Venulectasias | Venulectasias veins are more bluish in color and slightly larger. They could be slightly raised and have a diameter of 1 to 2 mm. |
| Reticular | Reticular veins are larger in size, 2 to 4 mm and placed deeper in the subcutaneous tissues. They are often directly connected with the more superficial spider vein and should be the main focus of treatment. They could be thought of as the “feeders” to the spider veins. When treating reticular veins it's like injecting the truck of a tree to kill its branches. |
The treatment of telengiactasia, venulectasias and reticular veins is considered cosmetic and not covered by medical insurance.
