In this article, we will describe what superficial blood vessels are, how they occur, and how they can be treated. Superficial blood vessels can be bothersome for the person who has them for two reasons. Firstly, there may be concerns that the superficial blood vessels could be dangerous, that they could develop into varicose veins, or be a sign of some other disease. The second reason why superficial blood vessels can bother a person who has them is that they are often perceived as unsightly and can thus limit a person’s life because they may not want to appear in shorts, skirts, or swimwear. The cosmetic reasons for concern about superficial blood vessels should be considered a valid reason for treating them.
What are superficial blood vessels?
Superficial blood vessels are veins that are visible through the skin. These vessels can appear as small blood vessels visible as a faint line or as nets weaving under the skin. Superficial blood vessels most often appear in the back of the knee and on the upper part of the lower leg but can also appear, for example, on a person's face. Superficial blood vessels do not need to expand over time, but they can also be the first sign that varicose veins are developing.
Superficial blood vessels are also called spider veins because they appear as a network of veins under the skin and are visible through the skin because the veins are filled with blood that looks bluish due to it being oxygen-poor and on its way back to the heart to be reoxygenated.
Deficiencies in venous valves cause superficial blood vessels
It is deficiencies in the venous valves that create superficial blood vessels. Venous valves are designed to prevent blood from flowing back as it is pumped towards the heart. It is gravity that causes the most problems with superficial blood vessels on the legs because the blood in the legs must be pumped up to the heart. The valves wear naturally over the years, which is why superficial blood vessels most often appear with increasing age.
Why do superficial blood vessels occur?
There are many reasons why superficial blood vessels appear. The most important factor for the appearance of superficial blood vessels is hereditary, meaning that the person who gets them has one or two parents who also had superficial blood vessels. The hereditary factor is very significant, and a person with a family history of superficial blood vessels will definitely also get them. However, when the superficial blood vessels appear and how extensive they become is often a question of lifestyle and other situations related to the life situation a person is in. The reason we distinguish "life situation" from lifestyle is that pregnancy is one of the most common reasons for the appearance of superficial blood vessels. It is the increased body weight associated with pregnancy that causes superficial blood vessels to appear. The increased weight impairs blood circulation, causing blood to accumulate in the veins, which in turn causes the appearance of superficial blood vessels visible from the outside of the skin.
Lifestyle factors that cause the appearance of superficial blood vessels include being overweight, sedentary lifestyle, standing still, smoking, alcohol consumption, and more.
Deficiencies in blood circulation are the common factor for the appearance of superficial blood vessels. It is therefore very important to be physically active and avoid too much sitting.
Superficial blood vessels in the face are often caused by burst blood vessels. These vessels have usually burst due to increased pressure or too much sun on the face.
Should superficial blood vessels be treated?
So, are superficial blood vessels something that can be treated, or should be treated? Superficial blood vessels are not dangerous. The small blood vessels that appear through the skin are very common in the population as a whole, and there is nothing to suggest that they would be dangerous.
However, many people find superficial blood vessels unattractive. This may be because an otherwise smooth and even skin tone is interrupted by the bluish small blood vessels visible through the skin. For those who care about their appearance and want to appear entirely healthy, superficial blood vessels are of course a problem. The problem is indeed cosmetic, but it should be taken seriously despite this. A cosmetic problem can mean a limitation in life for some people. In the case of superficial blood vessels, the limitation in life might, for example, be avoiding going bare-legged, not showing up in a swimsuit or short skirt. These reasons can be valid reasons to want to treat one's superficial blood vessels.
How can superficial blood vessels be treated?
There is a series of good methods for treating, removing, superficial blood vessels. These methods are very simple and can be performed at a clinic outside a hospital. For treating superficial blood vessels in larger areas, sclerotherapy is used, where a medicine is injected into the vein, after which it shrinks. For treating smaller areas with superficial blood vessels, such as on the face, laser treatment is used, where the light from the laser causes the blood to coagulate and the vein shrinks and disappears. The blood then finds other routes, and the superficial blood vessels are no longer visible from the outside. The procedure takes about an hour and is performed under local anesthesia. The patient can return home immediately after the treatment, and a couple of days of convalescence are all that is needed before the patient can resume their normal activities. At UK Vein Care, sclerotherapy is used.
Summary - Superficial Blood Vessels
Superficial blood vessels are very common in the population as a whole; more than thirty percent will have them at some point in their lifetime. Heredity is the most common cause of superficial blood vessels appearing. There are lifestyle factors that affect the appearance of superficial blood vessels in those affected; the most common are being overweight and a lack of physical activity if the superficial blood vessels appear on the legs. If the superficial blood vessels appear on the face, it is usually due to excessive sunbathing or burst blood vessels due to alcohol intake.
There are several good treatment methods for superficial blood vessels, and the most modern require very minor procedures to be performed. UK Vein Care uses sclerotherapy. The patient can be treated under local anesthesia and leave the clinic immediately after the treatment, which takes about an hour to perform.
