Treatments Options For Spider Veins

Friday 30th April 2010

What are the options for spider vein treatment?

Sclerotherapy is the 'gold standard' for eliminating spider veins and small reticular leg veins. Multiple injections of a sclerosing agent are injected into the abnormal red, blue or purple spider veins of the involved leg. Injecting the unwanted veins with the sclerosing solution causes the target vein to immediately shrink, and then dissolve over a period of weeks as the body naturally resorbs the treated vein. The FDA has recently approved the sclerosing agent, polidocanol, for treatment of spider veins. Injection of this drug is painless and it has a good safety profile.

Prescription compression stockings should be worn for one week after treatment to ensure a successful outcome. Patients are encouraged to walk at least thirty minutes every day during that time. The patient usually requires at least 2-3 treatment sessions separated by several weeks to significantly improve the appearance of their legs.

Are there side effects?

Side effects of treatment may include pain and swelling of the leg for a few days after injection. Rarely, brown discoloration over the vein or scarring may occur. In women taking estrogen-containing drugs, the formation of tiny, new blood vessels in the treated area can occur within a month after treatment but this usually resolves spontaneously by 6 months. Cosmetic lasers can be used to treat these tiny vessels.

Can laser be used to treat spider veins?

For smaller spiders, laser therapy may be used with excellent results. Nd YAG lasers can erase these veins with little or no darkening of the skin, and compression stockings are not required to be worn after the procedure. More than one treatment session may be necessary to completely clear your veins.

Will my spider veins return?

Usually the treated veins do not return. However, if you suffer from underlying venous hypertension or varicose veins, new spider veins may open up in the same areas after successful treatment. If this occurs, you should see a specialist in venous disorders, who will examine your legs with duplex ultrasound. This test can determine if your deeper veins are involved. If they are, correction of the underlying problem may eliminate these smaller veins.

Robin Fleck, M.D is a double-board certified dermatologist and internist, recognized by the American Board of Dermatology and the American Board of Internal Medicine.

She is the founder and Medical Director of Vein Specialties in Prescott, Arizona and is a member of the American College of Phlebology and the American Venous Forum.

For more information about venous disorders visit our website at http://prescottvein.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Robin_Fleck,_M.D.

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Eat More Curry...It's Good For You

Wednesday 3rd march 2010

Once hailed as Britain's most popular dish, the curry is much more than a tasty tea time treat. While curry or curry powder is a concoction of a few different spices, one main spiced used in curry is indeed turmeric. This spice is a member of the ginger family and this is what gives the curry dishes that yellowish colour.

Curry is thought to be healthy for a number of reasons, but here are the top two:

1 . Lab tests have proven that turmeric does a great deal to reduce inflammation in the joints which will help people who have arthritis.

2 . Curry can also prevent cancer. Many studies have found that there is a viable link between eating curry and lower incidences of cancer. Again, it is thought that turmeric is responsible for preventing this disease. Containing an active compound, turmeric has been shown to reduce and even prevent the progression of certain types of cancer such as breast cancer,melanoma and prostate cancer.

As well as the benefits above, curry can also help you lose weight. It turns out that the spices used in curry help to speed up your metabolism, but that is only if you keep away from the creamy curries like Korma and eat a more tomato and spice based curry such as a Tikka Masala dish.


So, if you are a mad hungry curry lover you have no need to feel guilty about it anymore because the curry can be a great addition to any balanced, healthy diet.

What I want to know is how hot you can handle your curry? Do you like it mildly spiced, or are you in love with a vindaloo. Let me know!

See you again tomorrow.

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Something For The Weekend 13

Friday 11th December 2009

Yet another weekend is looming which also means Christmas is almost upon us and once again I have found you another extraordinarily fabulous gift with a price tag to match.

The Thermal Mud Gift Pack is the ultimate luxury gift that every woman who likes to look after her skin will just love.

This product contains the absolute maximum content of Rotorua Thermal Mud in its purest form. With a creamy velvety smoothness and full of highly concentrated natural minerals. Thermal Mud will rejuvenate the skin leaving a healthy radiant complexion. Thermal Mud is extremely therapeutic, as well as detoxifying, purifying, healing, remineralising, antiseptic and antibacterial. Suitable for body as well as the face. Ideal for use on damaged hands or feet or as an all over body treatment.

This gift pack contains a 100g thermal mud face mask, a hand cream and soap.

Thermal Mud Hand Cream:
A conditioning and hydrating hand cream containing the beneficial properties of thermal mud combined with chamomile extract and pure orange oil. Chamomile is a soothing plant extract that helps calm irritated and inflamed skin and reduces redness. Orange oil contains fruit acids that have a gentle exfoliating effect to smooth away roughness. Absorbs easily into the skin leaving hands soft and hydrated.

Thermal Mud Soap:
A gentle soap containing a very high percentage of Thermal Mud. This soap lathers beautifully even in the hardest waters. It is ideal for use on both the face and body. Regular use deeply cleanses and enriches the skin with all the therapeutic properties of Thermal Mud. This soap is an ideal cleanser suitable for all skin conditions as it helps combat unwanted bacteria on the skin.

Thermal Mud consists of a suspension of thermal mud in mineral spa water. The contact the mud has had with volcanic gases and minerals from deep within the earths service is the reason it is particularly rich in minerals.

Major minerals present in Rotorua Thermal Mud include Silica, Magnesium, Calcium, Titanium, Iron, Sulphur, Phosphorus, Sodium and Potassium. In addition there are also trace elements such as Copper, Zinc, Selenium, Cobalt, Manganese and Molybdenum.

Parrs Thermal Mud is excellent for use in regenerative skin care as the clays have a very strong affinity for moisture. Thermal mud on drying will generate heat, increasing the blood circulation and perspiration which helps eliminate toxins and other wastes. The clay services are highly active and will easily absorb excess oils and fatty secretions from within the skin pores. Detoxifying and purifying the mud drys on the skin promoting regeneration of new cells. The sulphur acts as an antibacterial agent assisting in the prevention and elimination of acne.

If you like the idea of a thermal mud gift pack, then you can visit The Beauty Shop who have a whole host of unique gift ideas to suit all budgets.

Website Of The Week

Have you ever wondered how you would look with a face lift? Well now is your chance to find out without having to even see a surgeon.

I stumbled upon a little website recently that allows you to have what they call a '5 second simulated makeover'. All you have to do is upload a photograph of yourself, choose a cosmetic procedure and click for you instant makeover.

Want to try it? visit www.newbeauty.com and let me know what you think.

Once again I cannot thank you all enough for stopping by this week. The band of regular readers I have is making keeping this blog alive an incredible pleasure.

I hope you all enjoy your weekends. Stay safe, keep smiling and I will see you again on Monday Morning.

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Do You Have Asthma?

Thursday 3rd December 2009

Asthma is an increasingly common breathing problem, and it seems highly likely that you will know someone who suffers with it. The causes of asthma can vary from person to person as too can the symptoms.

I am an asthma sufferer myself, with the illness only flaring up during the winter months. Having a cold recently and suffering with Sinusitis probably triggered my asthma this time around.

So, how do you know if you have asthma or not? Here are some of the most common symptoms that you should be looking out for;

• Coughing, especially at night
• Wheezing
• Shortness of breath
• Chest tightness, pain, or pressure

Still, not every person with asthma has the same symptoms in the same way. You may not have all of these symptoms, or you may have different symptoms of asthma at different times. Your symptoms may also vary from one asthma attack to the next, being mild during one and severe during another.

Some people with asthma may go for extended periods without having any symptoms at all, interrupted by periodic worsening of their symptoms called asthma attacks. Others might have asthma symptoms every day. In addition, some people may only have asthma during exercise or asthma with viral infections like colds.

Mild asthma attacks are generally more common. Usually, the airways open up within a few minutes to a few hours. Severe attacks are less common but last longer and require immediate medical help. It is important to recognize and treat even mild symptoms to help you prevent severe episodes and keep asthma under better control.

If you would like to know more about Asthma, symptoms, triggers, and treatments then visit http://www.webmd.com/asthma/default.htm

Thanks for stopping by. See you again tomorrow!

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What Is Computer Vision Syndrome?

Monday 26th October 2009

Computer Vision Syndrome or CVS is a common complaint for those of us who spend many hours looking at a computer screen.

While the complaint itself is only temporary, it can cause a great deal of discomfort and blurred vision.

The causes of CVS are easy to explain; The tiny muscles around the eye area need regular exercise, and problems arise when the eye is focused in one single place for a prolonged period of time. While your eyes are focused on the computer screen there is also a notable deficiency in blinking which can lead to that dry, irritated and almost lumpy feeling at the end of the day. Studies have suggested that spending just two hours a day in front of a computer screen can have an impact on your eye health.

The most common symptom of CVS is blurred vision. This can occur at any time and can be corrected by simply changing your focus onto another object that is either closer to you, or at a further distance from the computer monitor.

Other symptoms can include tired eyes, dryness and irritation as well as tension headaches.

So how can this be prevented? Well the solution is very simple. regular breaks away from the computer screen are best, but in a work situation, make sure you avert your eyes from the computer screen regularly to help the eye muscles relax a little.

Another thing you can do is alter the brightness of your monitor to filter out the glare, or invest in a screen filter which does the job for you. If you do spend lots of time in front of the computer you need to be keeping your eyes moist. For this you could use some artificial eye drops.

If you do have any concerns about your eyes or feel you are having problems with your vision, it is always best to pay a visit to your local optician. It could be possible that your eye strain has reached a point where you do need to wear glasses.

With more and more of us using computers, eye strain and CVS is becoming an increasing problem particularly with younger people. So take these small and simple steps to prevent CVS before it becomes a problem for you.

See you again tomorrow with another guest blogger post!

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