When to Treat Spider Veins Before Your Wedding

Have a wedding coming up? Certainly there's a lot that goes into planning the "big day," such as the venue, catering, decorations and more. But then there's also you and your significant other who will be tying the knot and beginning your life together as a married couple. And for such an occasion with all of your family and friends in attendance, surely you want to look your absolute best.

A big part of looking your best may involve making some cosmetic improvements. For instance, it's estimated that anywhere from 30 to 60 percent of all American adults have spider veins, which are veins that appear in a spider-like pattern near the surface of the skin. The good news is that with the right treatment, spider veins can be eliminated. However, it can take a few treatments to completely remove spider veins and several weeks for them to fully disappear. For this reason, it's important to begin treatment well in advance of your wedding to ensure you're giving yourself enough time for the procedures to work and for any subsequent bruising or other side effects to subside.

In this post, we'll take a closer look at why most spider vein treatments take multiple sessions, any bruising that you have to be mindful of and other information you need to know about treating spider veins.

Spider Vein Treatment Takes Multiple Sessions for Most

So why do spider vein treatments take multiple sessions for the vein to completely disappear in most people? We should first note that everyone is different, and while it isn't out of the realm of possibility for an individual to only need one treatment, most require anywhere from two to five. These treatments often consist of using a small needle to inject a solution into the vein, which works to close it off. Generally speaking, the larger the spider vein, the more treatments that are necessary. Following the treatments, the veins will usually disappear within two to six weeks.

Bruising After Treatment — How Long Does it Last?

One of the reasons why you want to allow yourself plenty of time between treatments and any special occasions is because bruising is a common side effect. Other side effects include red, raised sores in the area of treatment or lines in the skin. The good news is that bruising goes away within a few days, but if you're scheduling treatments around a wedding, it's ideal to plan them at least 3 weeks in advance just to give yourself that extra cushion.

Will it Remove my Spider Veins Permanently?

Like we said, multiple treatments are often necessary to fully remove spider veins, but assuming that you stick to them, you should start seeing results in as little as four to six weeks. The vast majority of the time, spider veins respond to treatment — and when they do, they won't return. However, that doesn't mean that additional spider veins can't form in the future in other areas of your body. There are a few notable steps you can take to significantly reduce the chances of developing spider veins. These include:

• Wear sunscreen: While spider veins are most common on the legs, they can also appear on the face. Wearing sunscreen to protect your skin from the sun can help prevent them from forming.
• Keep a healthy weight: Excess weight places excess strain on veins, which could lead to the development of spider veins.
• Get active: Help increase blood circulation by staying active through exercise and making sure that you're not sitting for too long.
• Avoid wearing tight clothing: Wearing clothing that's too tight can restrict blood flow.

Book a Consultation with Our Vein Clinic in Anchorage, Alaska

For more information and to view spider vein treatment options, schedule a consultation to meet Dr. Ives in Anchorage, Alaska, today. We'll make sure that your treatments are planned far ahead of your wedding day — or any other big special occasion — so that you can ensure that you look your very best. Contact us today for more information.