Every skin has pores, texture, and some blemishes, so it’s better to have healthy skin, not perfect skin. This proverb tries to say that each skin has its own unique properties, so it's better to have healthy skin by treating skin issues rather than trying to have perfect skin. There are many skin issues that affect the texture of the skin, and one such issue is spider veins. Let’s have a look at the spider veins and also learn which body parts are affected by them.
Spider Veins
Spider veins refer to the prominent clusters of damaged small blood vessels in the skin. They are also called telangiectasias or thread veins, which are bent lines bulging out from a central point, appearing as a spider-like illusion. They emerge in red, blue, or purple, and they aren't dangerous by themselves. However, they indicate that some small blood vessels are damaged.
Though spider veins are a cosmetic issue, sometimes they are a symptom of chronic venous insufficiency (CVI). Spider veins form when the pressure inside the affected veins rises; that could be because of blood circulation problems. It is a type of varicose vein.
Which body parts are most affected by spider veins?
The legs, face, and feet are the most affected body parts by the spider veins, but they might affect other body parts as well. Most varicose veins cause only mild discomfort, for which a person could use home remedies to manage them.
1) Spider Veins on legs
a) Nerve visible on legs
Nerve-visible veins are usually damaged blood vessels beneath your skin's surface. Some visible veins over your arms or legs can be a sign of varicose veins. Though some visible veins are normal, some veins that become more visible have to be considered.
b) Blue Veins on legs
When the one-way valves inside the veins weaken, the blue veins on the legs develop to a tiny size. These valves in the healthy veins direct the blood in one direction, which is back to our heart. If these valves get damaged, a small amount of blood flows backwards and gets stored inside the vein.
c) Red Veins on legs
You have a higher risk of red veins on your legs if your blood relatives have them. In general, they develop in some people as they stand or sit for longer periods of time most days of the week. Red veins are common with age and during pregnancy.
d) Green Vein on legs
Green veins on legs or hands have a shorter wavelength (the wavelengths come under the electromagnetic spectrum), and they are located near the surface of your skin. These superficial veins are green instead of red because of their shorter wavelength.
e) Purple Veiny legs
Purple, veiny legs show the damaged blood vessels below your skin, which are usually harmless. These might cause itching, burning, or discomfort (particularly in your legs). These spider veins don't show any symptoms which might surround varicose veins. Varicose veins are usually swollen and twisted blood vessels that branch out under your skin's surface. Varicose veins are blue or purple-coloured bulges that develop in your feet, legs, and ankles.
2) Spider Veins on feet
In general, spider veins on feet are not dangerous, but some people might feel discomfort or pain in the affected area. They do not cause any symptoms, and the spider veins develop close to the skin surface. They are small in size and blue in colour.
3) Spider Veins on the face
Spider veins on the face, which are broken blood vessels, are enlarged capillaries that develop beneath the skin’s surface. They are caused by genetics, sneezing, sun exposure, and some other factors.
Broken vessels on the face or spider veins are very common in some people, and they usually show no other symptoms. But if they want to remove them, then they can talk to their dermatologist about the removal procedures. The broken blood vessels on the face might warn about an underlying medical condition like rosacea in some cases.
What causes Spider Veins?
Spider veins are caused by the weakening and expansion of the small blood vessels below your skin. It’s not always clear. Though the causes of spider veins are unclear, their other causes include :
- Hormonal changes.
- Connective tissue diseases.
- Genetic syndromes.
- Injury or trauma.
Certain risks also cause spider veins. Those risk factors include:
- A biological family member has spider veins or varicose veins.
- A person regularly stands or sits for longer periods of time.
- A person with obesity (that is, a BMI > 30).
- Use hormonal birth control.
- Smoking habit, or just quit smoking.
- Woman who is pregnant.
- A person is using hormone therapy for menopause signs or symptoms.
- A person who stays for a longer time under the sun.
Symptoms of Spider Veins
In general, spider veins don’t show any symptoms. Some people with spider veins in their legs feel the following symptoms :
- Cramping
- Burning
- Itching
- Tired legs
- Pain
But in some cases, treating the spider veins doesn’t improve these symptoms.
Where do Spider Veins appear on other body parts?
1) Spider veins on arms
Spider veins on the arms are not usually harmful; however, they indicate that some small blood vessels are damaged. Spider veins are generally a cosmetic problem, but sometimes they are an early symptom of chronic venous insufficiency (CVI).
2) Spider Veins on thighs
Many people get spider veins on their thighs as they sit or stand for longer periods of time for most of the days in a week. As mentioned above, spider veins often occur on the face or legs, though they may appear anywhere on the body. But these are common with age and during pregnancy.
3) Spider veins on cheeks
Mostly, the spider veins on the face do not have a cause, but they might be due to an underlying disease. Then, your doctor might make additional tests to check for serious diseases like Sturge-Weber disease, hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia, spider angiomas, or xeroderma pigmentosa.
4) Nose vein
Nose veins that form around the nose and face are often called telangiectasia. They develop when the small veins enlarge nearer to the skin’s surface. The thread veins become visible around the nose due to the fact that the skin is thinner in this area when compared to the other areas of the body.
Spider Veins Prevention
There are some tips that you could follow to prevent the occurrence of spider veins. Here are those prevention tips for spider veins:
- Do not sit or stand too long at a time. If you wish to sit for a while, make sure that you stand up every 30 minutes and walk around. If you wish to stand for a while, sit down and take a break every 30 minutes.
- Do not wear tight clothes. This is because tight clothes could disturb your normal blood circulation and result in spider vein formation.
- Exercise regularly and move around through a simple walk. This will help raise the blood flow in your legs. Consult your provider about beginning a new exercise plan.
- Relax your feet and ankles. If you want to remain in the same position for a while or stay seated, then move your feet. Relax your ankles upwards and down. Make sure that you try to squeeze and relax your calf muscles so that you stimulate the blood flow in your legs.
- Maintain a healthy weight, which could limit the pressure on your blood vessel walls for normal functioning.
- Elevate your legs daily. Practice this a minimum of two times a day for a time span of 30 minutes each time. So, your legs must be at least as high as your heart.
- Wear compression stockings to encourage the blood flow in your legs. You might also wear them for a short time after the spider vein treatment. Make sure that you consult your provider before beginning compression therapy.
Spider Vein Treatment
There are some treatments for the Spider Vein, which are very effective. Here are those treatments :
Compression Stockings
The compression socks help prevent the varicose and spider veins from further progression or development. They help treat spider veins when used on a regular basis. In various forms, one could get compression apparel. However, they are given as stockings, though they also come in sock, pantyhose, and bandage forms.
Sclerotherapy
In Sclerotherapy, a medical provider inserts a chemical solution injection into your spider vein to gently close it off. This minimally invasive treatment option for spider veins in your legs, make you see your spider vein disppear in about three to six weeks. However, many people require many sessions to completely cure their spider veins.
Laser therapy
Laser therapy help treat the spider veins, especially in your face. This noninvasive treatment option does not include any chemical solution or injection. In this treatment, a medical provider creates heat and destroy the spider vein, using a laser. Small spider vein goes off soon, while the larger spider veins takes one to three months to disappear. Moreover, some people require a multiple sessions.
Foam therapy for varicose veins
A foam substance is directly injected into the vein in the Foam sclerotherapy. This foam damages the blood vessels and make it narrow. Then , the blood will flow to a better alternate vein and then the vein treated will go away on its own.
Laser for Varicose Veins
Spider veins are one of the three types of varicose veins. Many varicose veins are treated by the EVLT treatment. This treatment uses lasers that produce high energy.
The heat generated is absorbed by haemoglobin and its surrounding tissues, which then leads to the formation of steam bubbles. These bubbles cause the blood to boil, thus triggering thermal injuries to the venous endothelium and intima.
Ablation
Ablation is a minimally invasive procedure. In the ablation method of treatment, thin and flexible tubes called catheters or tiny needles are injected. In this minimally invasive procedure, the vein specialist inserts heat or chemicals through the catheter or the needle to destroy the tissue and close the vein.
In general, a doctor does not perform surgery to treat the spider vein. However, some surgical treatments could be effective for treating the larger varicose veins.
Spider veins and its related Diseases
Telangiectasia, or spider vein in some cases, might be a symptom of a severe medical condition. The medical conditions that cause spider veins are :
Bloom syndrome: Bloom syndrome is a genetic disorder that occurs rarely and causes different symptoms, like telangiectasias.
Ataxia-telangiectasia: Ataxia-telangiectasia is an inherited childhood disease that affects the brain and a few other body parts.
Osler-Weber-Rendu Syndrome: This syndrome affects the blood vessels in the skin and throughout the body. This genetic condition, also called hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia, leads to bleeding.
Port-wine stain: Port-wine stain is a vascular birthmark that appears as a big patch of discoloured skin.
Klippel-Trenaunay-Weber syndrome: Klippel-Trenaunay-Weber syndrome is a combination of many conditions like port-wine stain, varicose veins, and soft tissue enlargement.
Rosacea: Rosacea is a skin condition that chronically causes skin discolouration and inflammation in the face.
Sturge-Weber syndrome: Sturge-Weber syndrome can affect the nervous system but is a rare condition.
Spider angioma: Spider angioma is an abnormal accumulation of blood vessels near the surface of the skin.
Xeroderma pigmentosum: In this condition, the skin and eyes become sensitive to ultraviolet (UV) light. But Xeroderma pigmentosum is a rare medical condition.
Conclusion
Spider veins are the accumulation of clusters of damaged small blood vessels, which usually appear either in red, blue, or purple. Having certain risk factors can make you more likely to have these veins. Several causes are responsible for the spider vein. Spider veins could also be a symptom of some medical conditions. Spider veins show many symptoms; however, doctors don’t perform surgery to treat them. Only some treatment methods are used to treat the spider veins.
