Varicose veins and spider veins may seem like interchangeable terms for the same thing, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. Here’s the low-down on the causes, symptoms and treatments for both varicose veins and spider veins.
Spider veins are the less serious of the two and are seen as small discoloured veins that have a spider-web like appearance typically on the legs. These veins rarely cause problems with pain and can be left untreated. In contrast, varicose veins occur due to faulty values in veins of the legs. Blood is able to therefore flow in the wrong direction causing bulging veins, which appear blue and purple. These veins can cause problems of pain, numbness in the legs and in some cases, leg ulcers.
Who is at risk of developing varicose and spider veins?
Around 80% of those who get varicose veins are women. Also as we age, the risk of developing varicose veins increases. In 30-50% of cases the underlying cause for the bulging veins is a condition known as Chronic Venous Insufficiency or CVI.
People who stand up a lot in their jobs have a higher risk of getting varicose veins due to the extra pressure this places on the lower extremities of the body. Also for the same reason, people who are overweight carry a larger risk of developing varicose and spider veins.
As a Registered nurse responsible initially for working as a theatre nurse and laser nurse specialist, I have branched out and learned the role of quality improvement. This role has snowballed from completing the occasional audit and data entry for Dr Barrett some 7-8 years ago, to completing the first full accreditation process in 2011.
After working in advertising for nearly twenty years I decided to make a change by packing in a highly successful career and going back to University. After studying a few podiatry papers I realised a more “hands-on” approach with people was for me and sought to find a career with more of a feel-good factor. This led me into holistic therapies and after studying for another two years I started working as a beauty therapist in a Spa environment.
Scars can be detrimental to confidence at any age. However, help is at hand in the form of laser and dermal techniques.
Palm Clinic has Fraxel Laser Dual, which means we have two different Fraxel laser types, which treat different conditions, at different depths and intensities. The Fraxel Dual includes both the Fraxel Restore and Fraxel Refine.
Dermal fillers are a brilliant tool in the world of appearance medicine. These gel-like substances are injected into the skin to defy lines, soften folds and balance any asymmetries in the face.
At Palm Clinic, we have a range of dermal fillers available; our most popular being Juvederm. Both are non-animal hyaluron fillers made up of the same hyaluronic acid that naturally occurs in our skin. These are the safest forms of dermal fillers and an ideal choice for skin rejuvenation.
Having a procedure done can be a daunting process. To alleviate that stress and anticipation, the team at Palm Clinic have created a video to ease your woes. Featuring Dr Sam Dunn, as well as the ultrasound team, it provides great insight into the questions someone suffering from varicose vein issues may have.
We have taken all the gems of knowledge from that video and transferred it into this post for easy written reference.
Change, as they say, is a good thing and we agree. It leads to new beginnings and that couldn’t be more true for our new members at Palm Clinic. We are very pleased to welcome and introduce them.
Bonnie Morrow - Cosmetic Medicine Nurse
Alison Hayes - General and Breast Surgeon, Varicose Veins Doctor
Starting 2016 with a strong focus on continued growth and development, Palm Clinic are as always, dedicated to providing Auckland with a centre of excellence for Veins,Liposuction, Botox, Dermal Fillers and Laser Treatments.
Fine, red lines on the face are one of the many skin changes we may begin to notice with age.
Although tiny, these broken blood vessels or capillaries are visible beneath the skin’s surface and their prominence can often be distressing for those who suffer from them.
Here in New Zealand we love the sun and the bright, joyful vibrancy that summer brings. However with the warm, hazy enjoyment of summer vacations comes a darker side and that side is often branded across our faces in the form of pigmentation.
Pigmentation problems are common in New Zealand, often caused by our love of the sun and New Zealand’s overall high UV rates.
Sun exposure can cause a number of cosmetic concerns, namely fine lines and wrinkles as well as pigmentation. However, with pigmentation other factors can come into play to form a range of concerns from sun spots, melasma, age spots, seborrhoiec keratosis and pigmented birth marks.
Appearance is one facet of life where we can exert some control – our style of hair, makeup and clothing, size and shape of our bodies. Diet and exercise can help us to shed kilos and look better in our clothing; however it’s not always that easy and we can and do experience troublesome, problem areas.
Troubled by your tummy’s appearance?
The abdomen or tummy area is a problem spot for many women, particularly after childbirth. No matter how restrictive the diet or how many crunches one does, the fat deposits do not seem to budge.
Fortunately, the abdomen is an area of the body that responds extremely well to liposuction.
on Wednesday, 16 December 2015.
Posted in Liposuction
Traditional liposuction has, in the past, had negative connotations, with much of that arising from the ‘early days’ of the procedure's beginnings. Think back to the 1980’s and that decade's tendency for excess.
Times, thankfully, have changed and Palm Clinic is at the fore of a new type of liposuction technique for body contouring called liposculpture. Unlike traditional liposuction, this approach delivers minimum downtime and the best sculptural results.
Our team at Palm Clinic epitomise the concept of living our trade. We are regular attendees on the Appearance Medicine conference circuit and we are equally active in the field of training and development.
This year members of our team attended all three of these conferences:
Australasian Medical Aesthetics Conference in Sydney
New Zealand Society of Cosmetic Medicine conference in Queenstown
The Australasian Society for Aesthetic and Plastic surgery Non-Surgical Symposium in Melbourne
The team also attended the Allergan Academy in Kuala Lumpur and the Australasian College of Phlebology conference in Brisbane.
Our well trained, well-travelled and very skilled team share thoughts on why facial rejuvenation treatments at the Palm Clinic are so popular.
Veins are the blood vessels that take the blood from your feet and legs back to the heart, ready for another cycle around the body. This means the blood in your leg veins should flow upwards.
When your veins don’t work properly, they let blood flow backwards down the leg. This can cause you to have heavy, achy, tired or swollen legs, which feel worse when standing still. You get relief when you elevate your legs, as the bloods flows up the leg, back to the heart, under the influence of gravity.
If poorly functioning veins go untreated for too long, the skin on the legs can start to suffer. The first signs of this are itching or eczema of the skin, followed by brown pigmentation and eventually a leg ulcer.
People with longstanding varicose veins can develop lipodermatosclerosis. This is a fancy term for hardened woody skin of the lower legs.
Why do veins fail?
There are a few theories as to why your veins ‘fail’.
As a liposuction surgeon I find there is a lot of confusion about who would benefit from liposuction.
Essentially the answer is quite simple: anyone with body contour issues is suitable!
Most people have one or more areas of the body that are susceptible to attracting fat. When we are born we have a finite number of fat cells which remain with us for life.
When we put on weight each individual fat cell enlarges and when we take off weight each individual fat cell shrinks. However your body will have areas, for example the abdomen or outer thighs, where the fat cells have a greater preference for attracting fat.
Therefore those areas will be the first to put on weight and the last area to lose the weight if you are on a diet.
Please note that individual results may vary from patient to patient, and the information provided on our website is only a guidance to the possible results.
