Q: Are spider veins permanent? Will spider veins go away on their own?

A: A lot of blemishes humans get on their skin are temporary. For example, a zit will pop up one week but be gone the next. Some others may not come and go so quickly, but many times if we wait long enough, the problem will heal and recover on its own.

I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but unfortunately, spider veins don’t work this way. Once the appear, they are almost certainly there to stay (but there are exceptions we will discuss below). The good news is that there are effective ways to remove them. Let’s talk a little bit more about why exactly they’re permanent and what you can do to treat them.

Why are spider veins permanent?
First, it’s important to understand what spider veins are exactly. You see our blood pathways are supposed to flow in one direction. But sometimes the veins and capillaries don’t work the way they should. When the capillaries right below the surface of the skin on our legs, thighs, etc. don’t work right, the blood can get backed up. This creates that dark purple phenomenon we call spider veins. Once these spider veins form, unfortunately these unsightly capillaries rarely get better on their own. In fact, they often will worsen over time.

Are there any exceptions?
Will spider veins go away on their own ever? Well, there are a couple possible scenarios where they might be temporary. If you were recently pregnant and the spider veins developed during that time (or shortly after) then they may very well go away on their own. The second exception would be medications that alter your hormones, like those to control birth. When those are used, they may perpetuate the formation of spider veins, which may or may not be permanent.

Permanent or temporary – how can you get rid of them?
If you’re currently pregnant, definitely wait for treatment until afterwards. For everyone else, there are a three highly effective methods to treat them. Spider vein therapy using injections can be performed by a doctor to destroy them. Laser spider vein removal is another route to go if you don’t like needles and want something less invasive. If you would like to start off with an inexpensive home treatment, then spider vein cream may be all that’s needed for milder cases.