The Reasons Why You Should See a Dermatologist

Why would you see a dermatologist?

Dermatalogists are skin experts. With concerns related to the skin, hair and nails, a dermatologist is the best person to see for insight and treatments. Some very common reasons why people see dermatologists include screening for skin cancer, acne treatments, scar treatments and eczema. Not only do they treat your skin-related concerns, dermatologists can provide you with a ton of information and advice on how to take care of your skin. They’ll inform you on your skin type and recommend which products to use so that your skin looks and stays healthy.

What will a dermatologist do for acne?

Treating and examining acne is one of the common duties of a dermatologist. A person would normally look up and see a dermatologist when they find that their acne is resistant to over-the-counter acne treatment products. Dermatologists will take an in-depth look at your skin. This allows them to pinpoint what could be causing your acne—whether it’s from taking certain medications or if you have a hormonal imbalance. Having acne scars you want treated is another reason to visit a dermatologist.

Do dermatologists treat spider veins?

Spider veins (or varicose veins) are the bulgy, thick veins that are often seen on the calves and legs. These veins are red, blue or flesh-coloured. They’re not life-threatening or dangerous to have, but they can cause discomfort such as cramping and aching. Even if spider veins aren’t causing any pain, they could easily make someone self-conscious when their legs are bare.

Source: SpaMedica. This patient had laser leg vein treatments at SpaMedica in Toronto.

Why do people get spider veins in the first place?

One of the main causes of spider veins is due to pregnancy. When a woman is pregnant, there’s more blood in her body which causes veins to enlarge. Other reasons include:

- Lack of movement or exercise

- Standing for long periods of time

- Hormonal influences: puberty, pregnancy and menopause

How does a dermatologist treat spider veins?

A dermatologist can reduce and remove the appearance of spider veins through laser leg vein treatments. They’ll use lasers with multiple wavelengths, IPL and radiofrequency energy. One treatment lasts anywhere from 15-30 minutes, depending on how many leg veins are present.

Do I need a referral to see a dermatologist in Ontario?

OHIP requires patients to be referred by their family physician for medical dermatological conditions. If you don’t have a family doctor, you can get a referral at a walk-in clinic or local emergency room. However, for cosmetic dermatology treatments, referrals aren’t required.

Dermatologists can treat just about anything related to the skin. If you have a persisting concern that involves your hair, nails and skin, don’t hesitate to see a dermatologist. It’s better to tackle the problem early on than to let it linger for too long.

References

1. http://www.dermetics.ca/dermatology.html

Leg Vein Treatments: How to Treat Your Varicose Veins Easily

Source: SpaMedica. This patient received laser leg vein treatments at SpaMedica

Leg veins, also known as varicose veins, are bulging veins on a person’s calves and legs. These leg veins can be blue, red or the same colour as your flesh. Spider veins look smaller and are closer to the skin’s surface. Leg veins are one of the most common cosmetic concerns, especially for women over age 50. This doesn’t mean younger people don’t see this problem on their legs, though. More and more people in their 20s and 30s are starting to see leg veins form. Luckily, a few leg vein treatments treatments are available to reduce or remove these pesky veins.

Why do people get leg veins?

Lots of reasons contribute to the development of leg veins. Pregnancy is one of the main causes of leg veins. Since there’s more blood in the body when a woman is pregnant, this causes veins to increase in size. Sometimes leg veins improve a few months after delivery.

Other factors include:

• Weight gain
• Weight loss
• Hereditary factors. If you have leg veins, usually another person in your family has them too.
• Hormonal influences. Such changes occur during puberty, pregnancy and menopause.
• Lack of movement and exercise
• Long periods of standing. People who work in professions like teaching are more prone to getting leg veins due to the increased pressure in the legs from standing a lot.

Are there ways to prevent leg veins from developing?

There are some tips and habits you can do to cut your chances of developing leg veins. If this issue is hereditary, it’s unfortunately out of your hands. You can do some things to prevent new veins from forming, though.

• Go out for walks during your breaks if you have a job that requires you to sit down for hours. Some movement helps take pressure off your legs.
• Reduce sodium intake. Salt is known to cause water retention, which increase pressure on veins.
• Wear sunscreen. Sun exposure increase chances of spider veins developing.

How can you treat leg veins?

Leg veins and spider veins aren’t life-threatening, but they can be uncomfortable. These veins can cause achiness or cramping. Even if they don’t cause any pain or sensation, maybe you’re fed up with the looks of it. Over 95% of SpaMedica clients see improvements in their leg veins after laser leg vein treatments. As for spider veins, clients see over 75% of improvement in the appearance of these smaller veins.

Laser leg vein treatments

Laser leg vein treatments and laser spider vein treatments involve lasers with multiple wavelengths, intense pulsed light and radiofrequency energy. These techniques are either used in combination or individually. Most clients need 3-6 laser treatments every 3-4 weeks. A session lasts 15-30 minutes, depending on how many leg veins you have. For very lucky people, they require only one laser leg vein treatment.

Source: SpaMedica. This patient received sclerotherapy treatments at SpaMedica

Sclerotherapy

This is another common way to treat leg and spider veins. It’s a needle-based technique that reduces the looks of leg veins. Sclerotherapy injections contain chemical sclerosing agents that cause the veins to collapse. This forces the blood to travel through other veins. Eventually, the leg vein fades. You might have to wear gradient compression stockings to reduce swelling.

You don’t have to deal with the discomfort or appearance of leg veins forever. There are lots of ways to reduce your chances of developing or removing them. Keep active, eat well or look into laser or sclerotherapy treatments if you need to.