Vascular Disease Vascular Disease Basics

Varicose Veins and Spider Veins

It is estimated that between 20% and 25% of women, and 10% to 15% of men suffer from varicose and spider veins worldwide. This translates to tens of millions of people in the United States alone. Whether you desire cosmetic improvement or relief of symptoms associated with leg vein problems, the following article should give you a better sense of the nature of the condition and the current treatments available.
 

What Are Spider and Varicose Veins?
Veins throughout your body return blood back to your heart. In order to do this efficiently, veins have one-way valves to prevent blood from flowing backwards (reflux). These valves are particularly important in your legs due to the effects of gravity. If they fail to close properly, blood will leak through the valves and result in pooling. Over time, this pooling of blood will create pressure inside the vein walls and result in enlargement and sometimes bulging of the vein. These enlarged veins are the cause of spider veins (telangiectasia) and varicose veins.

Spider veins are small red, purple, or bluish veins located just below the surface of the skin. They can have a linear or spider web-like appearance. Varicose veins are abnormally enlarged veins located deeper under the skin. Varicose veins can also protrude slightly above the skin surface resulting in a rope-like appearance.
 

Who Gets Varicose and Spider Veins?
Hereditary factors play the most important role in determining whether you will develop leg vein problems. If you have varicose or spider veins, your mother or father probably had them too. Women are more likely to have varicose or spider veins due to hormonal factors including pregnancy, birth control pills, or hormone replacement therapy. Pregnancy, especially multiple pregnancies, plays a particularly big role in the development or worsening of vein problems. In addition to changes in hormonal levels, pregnancy increases the amount of blood in your veins and, as the uterus enlarges, the pressure in your pelvic and leg veins increases. Other factors that may accelerate the appearance of varicose or spider veins include:

- The aging process
- Obesity
- Prolonged standing or sitting
- Constipation
- Leg trauma
- Congenital conditions
 

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