Spider veins are red, blue or purple branching veins that may look like miniature varicose veins, but are different. Spider veins cause new symptoms aside from being unsightly in most cases, but unsightliness is a major consideration for brides who want to look their best on wedding day.
If you have spider veins and are getting married soon — congratulations first of all! Here’s when to have those spider veins treated so you can look your best on the big day.
Spider Vein Treatments Take Multiple Sessions for Most
Most people who have spider veins need to undergo multiple treatments in order to fully treat the veins.
The treatment is called cosmetic sclerotherapy, and it involves injecting an irritant solution into the spider veins. The irritant eventually causes the veins to close up and disappear from the surface of the leg, but the process isn’t instantaneous and can require multiple injections.
Most spider veins require two to five treatments, which might be given over the course of 2 to 6 weeks. Some larger spider veins might require additional treatment and time.
Bruising After Treatment – How Long Does It Last?
The process of cosmetic sclerotherapy almost inevitably result in some bruising, because miniature veins that contain blood are being closed off. The little blood that’s in them will become visible on the skin until it dissipates from the location of treatment.
The bruising that results isn’t permanent, however, and it usually goes away within a few weeks. To be on the safe side for your wedding, plan on ending treatments three weeks prior to your wedding day so that you don’t have bruising from the spider vein treatments.
Will It Remove Spider Veins Permanently?
Unfortunately, neither cosmetic sclerotherapy nor any other treatment can guarantee that spider veins won’t develop in the future. Treatment can eliminate existing veins before your wedding day so that your legs look beautiful, though, and the likelihood of veins developing within a month is fairly minimal.
Additionally, you can discuss lifestyle adjustments that may help prevent spider veins from forming in the future when you meet our vein physicians in Vineland, Voorhees, Sewell and Lumberton, New Jersey.
Schedule a Consult
When you take into account the average treatment time and recovery period for cosmetic sclerotherapy, spider vein treatment should begin between 5 and 9 weeks before your wedding. The exact length of time depends on the severity of your veins, and occasionally additional time might be required.
To be on the safe side, plan on meeting with a vein specialist three months (12 weeks) before your wedding. This way, you can also get vein treatment arranged before you’re caught up in finalizing wedding details.
To begin vein treatment, schedule a consult with us at Vein & Vascular. Our team of vein specialists will have your legs looking their best by your wedding day.