Spider Veins

Millions of women are flustered by spider veins – small, unsightly clusters of red, blue or purple veins that most commonly appear on the thighs, calves and ankles. In fact, it's a conservative estimate that at least half of the adult female population is plagued with this common cosmetic problem.

Spider veins are known as telangiectasias are small, thin veins that lie close to the surface of the skin. Although these super-fine veins are connected with the more expansive venous system, they are not a vital part of it.

There are a number of factors that contribute to the development of spider veins, including genetics, pregnancy and other events that cause hormonal shifts, weight gain, or activities that may require prolonged sitting or standing.

Spider veins usually take on one of three basic patterns. They can appear in a true spider shape with a group of veins radiating outward from a dark centralized point; they may resemble tiny branch-like shapes; or simply be linear and appear as thin lines throughout the skin. Linear spider veins are commonly seen on the inner knee, whereas the specific pattern often appears on the outer thigh in a sunburst or cartwheel formation.

Varicose veins differ from spider veins in a number of ways. Varicose veins are larger - usually more than a quarter-inch in diameter, darker in color and tend to bulge off the skin. Varicose veins are more likely to cause substantial pain and may be related to more serious vein disorders. For some, sclerotherapy may be used to treat varicose veins. However, often surgical treatment is necessary for this condition.

Genetics

Women with the condition may have mothers and/or female relatives with the vein condition. Weak vein walls and valves, as well as a shortage of vein valves seem to be inherited characteristics, and could play a role in determining who may develop spider veins in the future and at what age.

Pregnancy

Throughout pregnancy, and to a lesser degree also during menstruation, fluctuations in female hormones may cause softening of the vein walls and valves.

Prolonged standing and sitting

Prolonged standing and sitting can cause pressure to build in leg veins. In both conditions, the calf muscles tend to be inactive and cannot help but push the venous blood to return to the heart. This causes blood to pool in the veins, resulting in an increased pressure on the vein walls.
This increased pressure drops once one begins to walk, so if one is required to stand or sit for prolonged periods of time, remember to take short breaks and walk around for a couple of minutes every hour.

Injury

In some, spider veins can appear after an injury or trauma to the vein, such as after braking a bone, surgery, car accident, or sports injury. Bruising, which often is pooled blood resulting from broken veins under skin, may also lead to an inflammatory response, which may result in enlarged veins. At times, spider veins appear many years after the wound has healed and has been forgotten.

Vein Conditions

In men, spider veins are the result of blow-outs from nearby varicose veins. High pressure from the veins may cause adjoining superficial veins to stretch, enlarge, and change in color. These spider veins are usually darker and have larger diameters than the spider veins in women.

Spider vein matting can resemble bruising, and may often be caused by the healing process as well as by complications from sclerotheraphy.

Ankle flares, or spider veins found on the inside ankle, is often associated with chronic venous insufficiency (CVI), a condition where venous blood is not returned efficiently to the heart.

Facial Spider Veins

Spider veins usually occur in the legs and lower limbs, but there are situations where fine veins in the face and nose area become thickened, enlarged and darker in appearance.

For some, prominent facial veins are caused by rosacea. This condition is marked by numerous red spider veins in the nose, cheeks, forehead, and chin, and is known to accompany acne breakouts. The cause of rosacea is not known, it seems that alcohol and spicy food consumption, as well as stress, may play a factor in it.

Chronic sun exposure can also cause spider veins, as well as other forms of skin damage such as wrinkles, freckles, moles, and skin cancer. Trauma, as has been indicated earlier, such as bruising, may also lead to spider veins.

Surgical Removal of Spider Veins

Varicose veins can be serious because they may be associated with the development of one or more of the following conditions:

• Phlebitis, an inflammation of the vein.
• Thromboses, when blood clots form in an enlarged vein.
• Venous stasis ulcers, when an ulcer is formed around an area where there is improper drainage of the enlarged vein.

More than one in five women has some form of varicose condition. Although the exact cause for varicose and spider veins are unknown, pregnancy, heredity, and hormonal changes seem to be contributing factors.

Treatment for spider and varicose veins

Specific treatment for spider and varicose veins will be determined by your physician based on:

• age, overall health, and medical history.
• extent of the condition.
• tolerance for specific medications, procedures, or therapies.
• realistic expectations for the course of the condition and treatment.

Sclerotherapy

Sclerotherapy involves the injection of a concentrated saline or specially-developed solution into the spider or varicose vein. The solution then hardens, causing the vein to close up or collapse. Healthier blood vessels located nearby absorb the blood flow of the collapsed vein.

Ambulatory Phlebectomy

Ambulatory phlebectomy involves the removal of a vein by tiny punctures or incisions along the path of the enlarged and inflamed vein. Through the tiny holes, the surgeon uses a surgical hook to remove the varicose vein.

Electrodesiccation

This procedure involves sealing off of the vein with the use of an electrical current by laser surgery or intense pulsed light therapy. Abnormal veins may be destroyed by high-intensity laser beams or intense pulsating light.

Surgical ligation and vein stripping

Vein stripping requires the surgeon to make an incision into the skin and removing or tying off the blood vessel.
Possible complications associated with the surgical treatment of spider or varicose veins may include, but are not limited to, the following:

• pigmentation changes, brownish skin spots near the treated area may appear, and may take several months (or even up to a year) to fade.
• allergic reaction and scarring, reactions from the injected chemical solution, as well as permanent scarring, may result.
• telangiectatic matting, this reaction involves the appearance of fine, reddish blood vessels near the treated area. Treatment for this condition may require further injections.
• blood clots, treatment could cause blood clots in the veins.

The best way to assess what is best for you is to speak with your surgeon to help determine the most effective course of action for you.

Disclaimer:
This information is intended only as an introduction to this procedure. This information should not be used to determine whether you will have the procedure performed nor does it guarantee results of your elective surgery. Further details regarding surgical standards and procedures should be discussed with your physician