Spider veins are red and purple blood vessels that occur in patches on the legs. The network of vessels is often as delicate as a spider’s web, which is how they get their name but they can also resemble tiny sunbursts, branching trees or may be distributed in a linear fashion on the surface of the skin.

Sclerotherapy is a common spider vein treatment for small and

medium size (reticular) veins. A tiny needle is used to inject the veins with a solution (called a sclerosant) that irritates the lining of the vein.