SPIDER VEINS

Course overview

SPIDER VEINS, ALSO KNOWN AS TELANGIECTASIAS OR THREAD VEINS, ARE PROMINENT CLUSTERS OF DAMAGED SMALL BLOOD VESSELS IN THE SKIN. THEY CAN APPEAR AS RED, BLUE, OR PURPLE TORTIOUS LINES BULGING AND BRANCHING OUT FROM A CENTRAL LOCUS RESULTING IN THE SPIDER-LIKE APPEARANCE. THE OVERWHELMING MAJORITY OF PATIENTS DO NOT HAVE ANY SIGNIFICANT MEDICAL SYMPTOMS ATTRIBUTABLE TO SUCH SPIDER-VEINS; IN FACT, THE ASSOCIATED COMPLAINTS ARE PREDOMINANTLY AESTHETIC. NUMEROUS ESTABLISHED TREATMENTS NOW EXIST. THIS ACTIVITY REVIEWS THE EVALUATION AND TREATMENT OF SPIDER VEINS AND HIGHLIGHTS THE ROLE OF THE INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM IN THE CARE OF PATIENTS WITH THIS CONDITION.