How to Reduce Appearance of Spider Veins

Spider veins appear as red or blue spider web-patterned discolorations on the skin, typically on the legs and face. Although they are similar to varicose veins, they are smaller and typically do not present the same potential dangers as large varicose veins. While they may be unsightly and considered unattractive, spider veins do not usually require medical treatment. However, because they are considered unattractive, many people try to eliminate or minimize their appearance.

Things You'll Need

• Sunscreen
• Support Hosiery
• Cosmetics

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Instructions

• 1

  Eat a healthy diet and exercise regularly in order to maintain your weight in the appropriate range. Obesity can contribute to the stress on the vascular system, which may contribute to the formation of spider veins, particularly in the legs.

• 2

  Use sunscreen. Spider veins on the face and nose are usually attributed to sun exposure. Staying out of the sun, or using appropriate measures to reduce your exposure to the sun, can help prevent spider veins on the face from developing or becoming more pronounced.

• 3

  Wear support hosiery. Spider veins cannot always be prevented, but the added support provided by support hose may help to minimize the the size and spread of the veins.

• 4

  Learn to apply cosmetics properly. Some cosmetics manufacturers produce cosmetics specifically designed to cover or camouflage skin defects and provide training videos to instruct their customers in the proper usage of these products.

• 5

  Consult with your physician regarding medical treatments. Sclerotherapy, a treatment involving the injection of sclerosing solution into the spider vein which can make it fade until it is barely noticeable, has been used successfully since the 1930s. New techniques such as laser surgery can be done on an outpatient basis and has shown superior success in reducing the appearance of spider veins.