Spider Vien Treatment

Dear Doctor:
I recently noticed a cream in a health food store that claims to reduce/eliminate spider viens on your face. Thanks to my Irish roots, I have spider viens on my cheeks an nose. I understand that laser treatment is effective but its expensive and takes hours. Might retin A help?

Thank you.

[Alan Rockoff, MD]

Brad:

No cream removes blood vessels, not Retin-A, and not health food store creams.  If you read their claims carefully, you will see they are worded not to claim anything.  (It's against the law for them to do so, and besides, they can't.)

The only safe and effective treatment is laser therapy.  The good news is that, as technology has advanced, this treatment is no longer a big and expensive deal.  It certainly does not take hours--you can do the whole face in 10-15 minutes.  it doesn't hurt, and costs about $300-400, depending.  Additional touch-up treamtents may be needed.  

Perhpas yoi should look into it.  Check out an expereinced dermatologist.  The American Academy of Dermatology website can help you find one: www.aad.org.

Be proud of your Irish heritage!

Dr. R

[randi]

I have a few spider viens below one eye.  Can they do any harm or grow/spread further?  I first noticed them when I was about 18 yrs old, is that too young to get them?

[leta]

Once you have treated your spider viens through laser surgery, will they come back? Is it common for young people to have spider viens or is this a warning that I might have a blood flow problem?

[KRI CUNNINGHAM]

I ALSO HAVE VIENS RED ONES BROKEN CAPULARIES  OR SPIDER VIENS ON MY FACE. I HAVE CONSULTED SEVRAL ONLINE DOCTORS . BUT THE PRICE ALWAYS COMES BACK TO AROUD $1,500. WHY MIGHT THIS BE.

[Leslie]

I am 15 years old, and I have Spider Viens on my thighs and I hate them. I don't want to go and get surgery, is there any herbal thing? Since I am so young I don't want surgery, but they are so unattractive.

[Diane]

When I was a child (maybe 6 years old) I had a spider vein under my eye. My mom asked the doctor what we should do about it, and he said it will either go away or I could get it removed by laser. It went away about 5 years later.

[Andibee]

A related discussion, Spider Veins was started.