Spider veins are small blood vessels so superficial on the legs that they are visible through the skin. Spider veins are not the same as varicose veins, which are swollen veins and much more visible. As the name suggests, spider veins often appear as a network on the skin. In addition to the legs, spider veins can also occur on the face.
Why Spider Veins Occur
The reason spider veins appear in the first place is due to defects in the veins, often at the back of the knee or on the face, on the cheek and nose. These defects prevent blood from being fully pumped back up, leaving small amounts behind in the underlying veins. It is these small accumulations of blood, appearing blue or purple through the skin, that constitute what are known as spider veins.
Spider Veins vs. Varicose Veins
Unlike varicose veins, spider veins are never dangerous and do not cause pain or physical discomfort to the person who has them. The reason spider veins are subject to examination and treatment is purely cosmetic since many people find them unattractive. Many of these individuals feel they cannot wear garments that expose their legs because they are embarrassed by their visible spider veins.
Spider veins are much more common in the population than most think. About 50 to 55 percent of all women have spider veins, and among men, it's slightly fewer - about 40 to 45 percent. Among people over 50 years of age, more than half have spider veins.
The most important factor in the development of spider veins is genetics. If the parents have spider veins, there is almost a 100 percent probability that their children will also get them. One cannot prevent the occurrence of varicose veins but can reduce the risk. The only thing that can be influenced is when in life spider veins appear. However, lifestyle factors can also cause the development of spider veins even if a genetic factor is absent. These factors include being overweight—including during pregnancy, prolonged standing or sitting, and little physical activity. Some hormones in birth control pills and those associated with menopause can also affect the onset of spider veins.
Most people with spider veins see no reason to treat them because spider veins are not dangerous and do not create discomfort for the person who has them. However, many people find spider veins inhibiting because they are perceived as unattractive, and many of these people, therefore, choose to treat their spider veins.
Simple Treatments for Spider Veins
For those who want to proceed with treatment for spider veins because they find them unsightly, there are several very convenient ways to perform the treatment. The most common methods for treating spider veins are sclerotherapy and laser treatment.
Sclerotherapy involves injecting a type of glue into the veins that are part of the spider veins. This glue seals the damaged veins which then shrink and disappear. As the damaged veins shrink, the blood in them also disappears, and since it is the blood in the veins that makes them visible from the outside of the skin, the spider veins also disappear.
Laser treatment is often used for smaller areas with spider veins. The light from the laser causes the veins to shrink, the blood in the damaged veins disappears, and just like with sclerotherapy, it means the veins no longer appear from the outside of the skin. The spider veins are gone.
Sclerotherapy is used at UK Vein Care for the treatment of spider veins.
What You Can Do Yourself to Avoid Spider Veins
There are a number of things a person can do themselves to delay the onset of spider veins and reduce the extent of spider veins that occur.
These measures to prevent the onset of spider veins are all linked to the risk factors for the occurrence of spider veins. The preventive measures are thus aimed at reducing or removing the risk factors. What a person can do is:
Prevent or reduce overweight
Avoid sitting or standing still by taking breaks from work or trying to make oneself more mobile during work by, for example, walking around the office a bit.
Exercise regularly to improve blood circulation in the veins, making it easier for the blood to flow upwards.
However, these activities will not ultimately affect whether you get spider veins or not, as they are hereditary. The measures can, however, postpone the onset and reduce the extent of the spider veins.
Summary - Facts About Spider Veins and Their Treatment
The most important thing when discussing spider veins is to distinguish spider veins from varicose veins. Spider veins are smaller and cause no discomfort but can be perceived as ugly, and they can be treated just like varicose veins.
Treatments for spider veins are gentle, a simple and quick procedure seals the damaged veins which then shrink and disappear, making the spider veins disappear. Patients can leave the clinic within about an hour.
Even though spider veins are mostly hereditary, their occurrence can be delayed and their extent limited if a person does not sit or stand still for too long, exercises, avoids being overweight, and wears clothes that are not tight over the legs.
