Spider veins are thread-like coloured veins seen on the skin’s surface. They are smaller than varicose veins which are essentially enlarged veins. They are usually reddish or bluish in colour and you can usually find them on the thighs, calves, ankles and even the face. They can cover either a very small or very large area of skin.
Spider veins usually appear as of the following three basic patterns:
Spider web
With short and jagged lines, they appear in the shape of a spider web with a group of veins sprouting outward a darkened central point.
Tree Branches
They may be arborize, appearing in a sunburst or cartwheel distribution. These resembles tiny branch-like shapes. The arborizing pattern often appears on the outer thigh.
Linear
Appearing as thin separate lines, linear spider veins are commonly seen on the inner knee.
WHAT CAUSES SPIDER VEINS?
Varicose veins occur when the veins are not functioning properly.
The function of the heart is to pump blood enriched with nutrients and oxygen to the rest of the body. The body uses a network of arteries to distribute blood throughout the body. There is also a network of veins which will transport the oxygen-depleted blood from the rest of the body back to the heart.
The lower body relies on the squeezing actions of the leg muscles to pump blood back to the heart. Valves in the veins prevent the backward flow of blood as it journeys up the legs. If these one-way flaps are weakened, blood can reverse flow back and collect in the veins. This medical problem is known as venous insufficiency. The blood collected causes the vein to be enlarged and varicose.
WHO USUALLY HAS SPIDER VEINS?
Millions of women are bothered by spider veins. In fact, it's estimated that at least half of the adult female population is plagued with this common cosmetic problem. Men may suffer from it too.
There are numerous factors which increase the probability of a person developing spider veins and these include:
Advancing Age
With advanced age, the veins are weakened and more susceptible to dilation.
Heredity
If your family members have weak veins, you have a higher chance of having the same problems.
Hormonal changes which occur during pregnancy, puberty and menopause.
Pregnancy
When a woman is pregnant, her body has an increased amount of blood flowing through. This causes enlarged veins.
The growing uterus also exerts additional pressure, putting added stress on the veins.
This condition will normally improve after delivery. It will usually take about 3 months for things to normalize.
With each new pregnancy, the number of enlarged veins increases.
Medication
Medicine such as birth control pills contains progesterone and estrogen. These increase the risk of spider veins.
Obesity
The body’s weight exerts pressure on the veins.
Prolonged standing or sitting
Sun Exposure
Excessive exposure to the sun can lead to spider veins or telangiectasias to appear. This is especially so for a fair-skinned person and most commonly found on the nose or cheeks.
WHY ARE THE LEGS MOST SUSCEPTIBLE TO SPIDER VEINS?
The legs are particularly prone to spider veins due to a number of factors:
The job of transporting blood from the lower parts of the body back up to the heart.
In comparison with veins found in other parts of the body, veins in the leg have the toughest and most unenviable tasks of transporting blood from the lowest parts of the body back to the heart.
They are subjected to the most pressure. Sometimes this pressure is more than what the veins' one-way valves can endure.
The force of the earth’s gravity makes the job of moving blood upwards harder.
The pressure of body weight on the legs
This is why obese or over-weight people have a high risk of suffering from spider veins.
CAN SPIDER VEINS BE PREVENTED?
There are some things that can be done to prevent or reduce the risk of getting spider veins.
Sun Protection
Use sunscreen to help protect your skin and yourself from the sun. This will help to control the number of spider veins appearing on your face.
Do regular exercise
This will help to improve the strength in your legs, improve blood circulation, and strengthen your veins. Put your focus on exercises of the legs, such as running or brisk walking.
Maintain a healthy body weight
This will reduce the amount of pressure being placed on the legs.
When sitting down, do not have the habit of crossing your legs. If possible, put your legs in an elevated position.
Avoid sitting or standing for a long time.
If your job requires your to stand for long periods of time, try to shift your body weight every few minutes, transferring from first one leg than the other.
If your job is sedentary and requires you to sit for a prolonged period of time, try to stand up, move around or even take short walks every 30 minutes.
Watch what you wear!
Wear compression stockings or elastic support stockings
Avoid tight-fitting garments that constricts or squeeze your waist, your groin, or your legs.
Eat a healthy diet
A diet with a good portion of foods that are rich in fibre reduces the risk of constipation, a contributory cause of varicose veins. Check that your daily diet includes foods such as fresh vegetables, fresh fruits and whole grains, like bran.
A diet with excessive salt will cause water retention and swelling in the legs.
So then, how do I get rid of spider veins? Read on to find out the different spider veins treatments available for spider veins removal.
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