
You want smooth, beautiful legs you can feel proud of. So when you notice thin, tangled veins appearing beneath the skin, it can be a real blow to your self-confidence. But you don’t have to put up with these spider veins—you can reduce them with the right treatment from our experts at Florida Lakes Vein Center.
For spider vein treatment near Longboat Key, there’s no better option than sclerotherapy. Read on to learn more about spider veins, the specifics of this treatment, and how you can get started.
The Specifics Surrounding Spider Veins
If you have spider veins, you may be wondering exactly what they are and what causes them to form. To start, the term “spider vein” is a bit of a misnomer, as spider veins aren’t actually veins at all. They’re actually damaged capillaries that show up on the surface of the skin.
Aside from their distinctive thin, tangled, “spider web” look, you can recognize spider veins by their color. Spider veins are red, blue, and sometimes purple, and while they can show up anywhere on the body, most people get them in the legs, or occasionally on the face.
Are Spider Veins the Same as Varicose Veins?
Spider veins and varicose veins are somewhat similar in that they are both vascular conditions that visibly affect the skin. But it’s important not to get the two of them confused. While spider veins are damaged capillaries, varicose veins actually are veins.
Varicose veins form when the walls of the vein become damaged, rendering its valves useless. This prevents blood from flowing to the heart and causes it to pool in the veins. As a result, the veins bulge and change color.
As for what causes spider veins to form, experts aren’t completely sure, but there are many things that can contribute to their development.
What Causes Spider Veins?
There are many reasons someone might develop spider veins. This condition can be genetic, so if your parents or relatives struggle with spider veins, you may be at a higher risk of developing them, too.
Spider veins may also be linked to hormonal changes. If you start birth control, get pregnant, or go through menopause, you may notice spider veins forming.
Another common reason people develop spider veins is because of obesity. Unhealthy habits can damage capillaries, so if you want to reduce the likelihood of spider vein development, you may need to form healthier habits.
Preventing Spider Veins
Spider vein treatment methods like sclerotherapy are effective at reducing spider veins, but that doesn’t mean the results are permanent. More spider veins can always develop in their place.
The only way to truly treat spider veins is by preventing them in the first place. You can prevent the formation of spider veins by:
- Maintaining a healthy weight
- Stopping smoking
- Staying active
- Elevating your legs every day
- Wearing compression stockings
These are just a few of the ways you can prevent spider veins. If you want personal advice catered to your health, ask one of our expert providers for their recommendations.
Keeping an Eye Out for Vein Disease
Many of our patients seek spider vein treatment near Longboat Key for aesthetic reasons. But spider veins aren’t just an aesthetic concern. They may also be a sign of a more serious condition—chronic venous insufficiency.
Chronic venous insufficiency occurs when your veins become damaged and blood pools in them. This can, in turn, cause a plethora of other problems, like venous ulcers, inflammation, and lasting tissue damage.
So even if you don’t particularly mind the appearance of your spider veins, if you notice them developing, you should reach out to one of our experts for a vein screening.
Your Personal Vein Screening
To see if spider vein treatment near Longboat Key is right for you, visit our vein center for an in-person vein screening. This appointment lets our experts go over your needs, ask questions about your medical history, and examine your symptoms.

We want to make sure we’re on the same page before we develop your treatment plan, so be sure to ask any questions of your own.
We’re always here to provide you with the information you need about our treatments. Once we’ve identified your condition, we can craft a treatment plan personalized to meet your goals.
Why Choose Sclerotherapy?
At Florida Lakes Vein Center, we prefer sclerotherapy for spider vein treatment near Longboat Key. This procedure allows us to safely close off your spider veins, so the body can absorb them and redirect blood flow.
During a sclerotherapy session, our experts inject the spider veins with a special medical solution called sclerosant. This solution prevents blood from entering the damaged vessels, allowing the body to bypass them and send it to other areas.
Afterward, the damaged blood vessels scar over and fade away. Sclerotherapy is a minimally invasive treatment that can treat your spider veins without surgery and without downtime.
Your Sclerotherapy Session
The sclerotherapy process is quite simple. First, we have you lie down on an exam table in our treatment room. You won’t need to go under general anesthesia, but we can use a numbing agent to make the process more comfortable.
You should feel a small pinch from the needle as we make the injection. Your provider may use ultrasound or a specialized vein light to look beneath your skin, ensuring we make the most accurate injections possible.
Once we locate the spider veins, we inject the sclerosant. This closes off the blood vessel so your body can redirect blood away from the spider veins.
Several Treatments for Better Results
Each sclerotherapy session only takes about 45 to 60 minutes, so you won’t have to overhaul your schedule to treat your spider veins. That said, you may need multiple sclerotherapy sessions to see the best results from our spider vein treatment near Longboat Key.

Most patients need at least 4 treatments to see the results they want. However, it’s important to note that addressing the underlying causes of your spider veins is the only way to get rid of them in the long term. If you want to experience lasting results, ask our team about the potential cause of your spider veins and their recommendations for care.
Recovering After Your Spider Vein Treatment
Following your sclerotherapy session, your provider can get you scheduled for your next appointment, and then you are free to go.
Because we don’t use general anesthesia for your spider vein treatment near Longboat Key, you won’t need to bring a friend or family member to drive you home.
There’s no downtime following this procedure, so you shouldn’t need to modify your daily schedule. However, there are some steps you can take to ensure the healing process goes smoothly.
- Wear compression hose for 24 to 48 hours following their treatment.
- Elevate the legs above the heart while you sleep, which you can do by propping up your feet on pillows and blankets.
- Avoid direct sunlight on the treatment area for at least a few weeks. If you do need to go out into the sun, be sure to wear sunscreen.
- For the first 2 to 3 days, do not enter a sauna or hot tub, and shower instead of bathing.
- While you should avoid intense exercise, moderate activity, like short walks, can actually promote healing.
Possible Side Effects
You may see some small welts, similar to those of a bee sting, for a couple of days after your session. This is to be expected, and they should go away on their own time. Other side effects may include mild itching and general discomfort.
If you want to mitigate those symptoms, then take an anti-inflammatory. Ask your provider for their recommendations based on your medical history.
Get More Information About Our Treatments
Find out more about spider vein treatment near Longboat Key, including our other vein treatments, here in our blog. We curate this blog to include the information you need to have the best understanding of our services.

We want patients to feel comfortable throughout the care process, and the best way to achieve this is by staying informed about our treatment options. Our educational blog is absolutely free, and it contains an extensive backlog, so you have access to all the information you need. Take a look!
Prioritize Your Vascular Health at Florida Lakes Vein Center
Whether you want to feel more confident in your skin or treat an underlying vein condition, reach out to our team to schedule a vein screening. Or, if you’d prefer to receive more information before you sit down with our team, try our vein screening tool.
It only takes a few minutes to answer these simple questions in our tool. You can give our team the information we need to develop your custom treatment plan. Receive the vascular care you deserve at Florida Lakes Vein Center.