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s there anything that can be done for spider veins-

A. Spider veins can make your legs and even your face look like you've been to a cut-rate tattoo artist. These hair-thin, dilated veins just beneath the skin don't actually resemble the creepy-crawlies they're named for. They're more like red, blue or purple sunbursts or tree branches. Any way you describe them, big ones can be so unsightly that you may briefly consider a burqa as beachwear.

There are a couple of ways to get rid of spider veins. For more than 70 years, doctors have been erasing them with sclerotherapy -- injections of an irritating solution that causes the blood to clot and the walls of the dilated vein to stick together. (Yes, it stings for a minute.) The lines gradually fade over months.

Option two is usually used for spider veins on your face, which are too small to "scler." Instead, a dermatologist or plastic surgeon can zap them with a laser or electric needle.

What causes spider veins- Partly genetics (do your mom's legs look like an interstate road map- ). Possibly estrogen (from pregnancy, the Pill or hormone therapy). And the usual suspects: aging (though 75 percent of girls over 18 have them), sun exposure, obesity, lack of activity and wearing too-small Spanx or anything super-tight that puts pressure on veins.

You can't control your genes, but losing weight, wearing sunscreen, working out and buying Spanx that fit tight give you a shot at preventing more spider veins.

Q. I'm in my 35th week of pregnancy and having such bad heartburn that it wakes me up at night. My doctor said I can take Zantac, but it isn't listed as safe in your book YOU: Having a Baby. What can I do-

A. Try to think of heartburn as nature's way of preparing you for those 2 a.m. feedings. It's likely that your heartburn will clear up in, oh, four weeks or so, when your bump becomes a baby and your hormones get back to normal (that's what's causing your heartburn).

Meanwhile, we know you need to get some sleep. Even though ranitidine (Zantac) is considered relatively safe, try these remedies first.

Avoid all the flamers. This is no time for even one of your hubby's famous blazing-hot chicken wings. Other foods -- chocolate, peppermint, anything fatty, citrus, onions, vinegar, and caffeinated or carbonated drinks -- can set off the fireworks, too.

Hold your head high. Use wood blocks to raise the head of your bed 4 to 6 inches. Gravity will help keep stomach acid where it belongs while you sleep.

Chew gum. Chewing stimulates the flow of saliva, which neutralizes the acid. In one study, people who chewed gum for an hour after a meal had less reflux for the next four hours. Avoid mint gum. It can cause that lava backup.

King Features Syndicate