If you have spider veins, you really should have a clinical examination and may need venous duplex ultrasound before having any treatment to make sure that you don’t have leg pump failure or significant venous disease underlying the spider veins.
Spider veins are not harmful to health and may not need to be treated. However there are various situation where treatment can have significant benefits to you
• When spider veins cause aches, pain and numbness and this affect your lifestyle
• When the appearance bothers you and you are not able to dress the way you like
• When there are associated tortuous blue looking veins that suggest you may also have underlying varicose veins
Spider Veins
What Are Spider Veins?
Spider veins (also known as thread veins, telengiectasia or broken veins) are the small yet unsightly clusters of pink and purple thread like veins that lie near the surface of the skin. They are commonly found in the leg but they can also appear in the face and other parts of the body.
Spider veins are most common in women age 30-50.
What Causes Spider Veins?
A number of factors can make one prone to spider veins. These include:
• Heriditary factors
• Pregnancy. This is by far the most potent cause of spider veins formation.
• Prolonged standing and sitting
• High heel shoes that restrict calf muscle function and circulation.
• Sun exposure is well known to cause spider veins on the face especially around the nose.
Do Spider Veins Cause Pain?
Most patients do not complained of any discomfort but some may experience symptoms including
• aching
• tired legs
• heavy legs
• numbness and tingling around the veins
• cramps at night
This essay is translated by Mojgan Salmani