00:00Come closer.
00:05Really.
00:08Really.
00:11Close.
00:30I'm a doctor at Refinery29.
00:31A lot of people want to know what they can do about their spider veins,
00:34and I don't think I know anyone without them.
00:36So when I had the opportunity to be a guinea pig, I jumped at it.
00:41Spider veins are tiny blood vessels visible at the surface of the skin,
00:45often found in clusters that resemble a spider web.
00:48They're caused by many factors, including hormones, sun exposure, and genetics.
00:56Scleroth...
00:56It's hard to pronounce.
01:00Sclerotherapy.
01:04Sclerotherapy is one of the most cost-effective ways to get rid of spider or varicose veins.
01:09Sclerotherapy treats many types of veins by injecting them with the material
01:13that causes the vein to become damaged and then absorbed back into the body.
01:18So you're basically turning off the vein.
01:20Sclerotherapy has been used in modern medicine for over a hundred years,
01:24but some say it was practiced in ancient times using the sharp point of a feather to inject an irritant,
01:30like salt water or tree sap, into the vein.
01:33These days the process is much more refined.
01:36What is it we want to do?
01:38This is Dr. Lancer.
01:39Dr. Lancer is one of the top dermatologists to see in Los Angeles.
01:43It's been reported that everyone from Kim Kardashian to Oprah to Beyonce sees him.
01:48I don't have a lot, but I do have some that I think could be enough to get a reaction.
01:53Right.
01:53Being a beauty editor, you know that any time a needle crosses your skin, there are risks.
01:59There are risks of infection, there are risks of allergic reaction.
02:02I definitely was a little bit worried even though this is a pretty common procedure.
02:09First, Dr. Lancer mixes his solution of choice, a sclera, a drug made for treating veins, with salt water.
02:18The needle is bent so the angle is optimal for injection.
02:24The treatment requires a steady hand.
02:28This vein is actually smaller in diameter than the needle.
02:35The results are instant.
03:05Can you see it?
03:06Mmm.
03:08Done.
03:11The entire procedure was really quick and painless.
03:14It by no means got rid of all of the veins,
03:16which wasn't exactly to be expected.
03:18It does take a couple different treatments.
03:21That's the injection site, right?
03:22That little mark.
03:24So it's like basically everything through here.
03:28For anyone who's looking for a fast, less expensive alternative
03:32to getting rid of spider veins, I definitely
03:34recommend sclerotherapy.
03:36Nope, didn't say that right.
03:37Thanks for watching Refinery29.
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