Spider veins that appear on your body, such as your legs, usually don’t cause major health problems. However, their highly visible appearance can cause you to feel self-conscious. Find out more about what causes these veins to develop and what you can do about them.
Cause of Spider Veins
Spider veins develop when pressure inside the affected veins increases, which can be caused by blood circulation problems. Having certain risk factors can make you more likely to have these veins. In general, your chance of having spider veins goes up as you get older, especially if they run in your family. Another risk factor is having a job where you have to stand on your feet for long periods of time, which can put more pressure on the veins in your legs.
Signs of Spider Veins
This condition is referred to as “spider veins,” because of their wee-like appearance. These veins tend to show up as reddish or bluish veins with a spidery appearance. The veins that are most commonly affected are behind your knees, but you can also have spider veins in the front of your legs and in other parts of your body. In some cases, those who have these veins also end up with other symptoms, such as leg swelling or a heavy feeling in the affected leg. These symptoms can be due to circulation problems
Treatments for Spider Veins
Since spider veins don’t often cause serious health issues, there usually are no medical reasons to have them removed. However, you can have them removed for cosmetic purposes. If you choose to have spider veins removed, there are different types of treatments available. These include the following:
- Sclerotherapy: This involves injections that cause spider veins to collapse, which keeps blood from being able to flow through them. The affected veins fade over a course of a few weeks.
- Laser therapy: This is a non-invasive treatment that involves the use of light to eliminate smaller spider veins.
Preventing Spider Veins
There are no guaranteed ways to prevent spider veins from developing, but you can lower your risk of having them. You can take the following steps to reduce this risk:
- Maintain a healthy weight, since being overweight can put more pressure on your leg veins
- Avoid standing up or sitting down for long periods of time
- Don’t cross your legs while sitting
- Walk or get other physical activity that exercises your leg muscles, which can help improve blood circulation in your legs
- Elevate your legs above your heart to maintain healthy circulation
- Wear lightweight compression stockings if you need to be on your feet all day
- Get treatment for varicose veins to lower pressure in your legs
If you need treatment for spider veins, please contact Heart Vein NYC to schedule an appointment.
