Are Spider Veins Harmful?

What are spider veins?

Spider veins are web-like patterns found under the skin. You may ignore them as a cosmetic concern, but they actually damage blood vessels that fail to pump blood back to the heart. The damaged veins got the name due to their intricate spider web patterns on your skin. They are quite often confused with varicose veins. Though they come under the same family tree, the difference is evident in the way they appear. Spider veins tend to be thin and appear close to the skin’s surface, while varicose veins are thick and bulgy. Spider veins appear in the legs and arms and tend to be benign. Many reasons contribute to the development of spider veins, but genetics tends to be a leading factor.

Causes of spider veins

• Genetics: You could inherit the possibility of developing spider veins if your family has a history of venous issues.
• Hormonal changes: Women tend to develop spider veins in their legs due to hormonal shifts in the body at different stages of their lives, like puberty, menopause, and pregnancy. These hormonal changes in women tend to weaken vein valves and lead to spider veins.
• Long hours of sitting: You may be at risk of developing spider veins if you spend your day sitting for long hours. People who sit in front of a desk for long hours a day could develop spider veins due to reduced blood circulation in the legs.
• Obesity: Excess body weight puts pressure on the leg’s veins and affects the vein’s functionality, leading to spider veins.
• Injury to legs: Any damage to your legs can impair your veins and disturb the blood flow, leading to spider veins.

Are spider veins harmful?

Spider veins are not harmful by themselves, but it is important to identify them at the earliest and get them treated to avoid any further complications. Spider veins might indicate the presence of chronic venous insufficiency that may create negative symptoms like pain and swelling in the legs and skin changes. You will see better and long-lasting results when chronic venous insufficiency is treated at the earliest with the right therapies. Both men and women have an equal chance of developing spider veins due to various reasons. Early interventions can reduce the risks related to vein health. Women may be prone to spider veins after one or two pregnancies in life due to hormonal changes and increased pelvic pressure on veins. You should consult a healthcare professional to know the right approach to manage spider veins and treat the underlying cause for optimal vein health.

When are spider veins a concern?

Spider veins are not harmful, but they can sometimes progress and lead to varicose veins and show some related symptoms that call for expert consultation for further evaluation.

• When you see spider veins spreading to other parts of the leg, it may indicate some underlying vein issue that is progressive, and you need to consult a vein doctor.
• Spider veins may sometimes lead to varicose veins; you may see bulging and enlarged veins under the skin, which indicates deep vein problems.
• While mild discomforts like pain, swelling, and burning are experienced even in the case of spider veins, you should be concerned when these symptoms tend to worsen.
• If you see swelling in the legs, it may be due to fluid retention in the body, which may indicate some circulatory issues.
• Any muscle cramps, especially in the calf during the night, may be related to vein problems when you already have spider veins.
• Skin-related symptoms like persistent itching around the spider veins could indicate some deep vein problems.
• If you see excessive bleeding in veins after injury, you need an immediate medical evaluation from the experts.

Identifying vein problems in the early stages could prevent chronic complications like leg ulcers, deep vein thrombosis, and pulmonary embolism that could sometimes be life-threatening as well.

Problems with untreated spider veins

Spider veins may not be a dangerous condition at this stage. However, neglecting the signs of spider veins would lead to more serious problems that are difficult to heal in the later stages. Some of the problems that you may encounter if the spider veins are left untreated include

• Progress into varicose veins

Spider veins and varicose veins fall under the same family tree, but both are different vein conditions. However, these spider veins could lead to varicose veins if left untreated. Both problems indicate issues with poor blood circulation and share the same risk factors.

• Chronic Venous Insufficiency (CVI)

Untreated spider veins may also lead to chronic venous insufficiency as the functioning of veins in the legs worsens over time, and they fail to carry blood back to the heart. A few symptoms of chronic venous insufficiency in the legs include swelling, pain, and heaviness in the legs, along with skin changes. Chronic venous insufficiency has a significant impact on the quality of your life as it hampers your ability to conduct regular activities. There are effective, non-invasive procedures to treat chronic venous insufficiency and offer you long-lasting results.

• Bleeding

Bleeding from spider veins can happen in certain cases. Untreated spider veins may put more pressure on the veins, making the capillaries burst. They are small blood vessels located close to the skin’s surface. When these capillaries burst, your skin becomes discoloured. The internal bleeding may cause inflammation and damage the surrounding tissue. Your skin in the affected area may become fragile, and slight damage can break it. The bleeding that is caused due to skin injury is generally minimal and can subside with minimal intervention. If the bleeding is persistent, you may need further medical intervention.

• Skin ulcers

You may develop skin ulcers if the spider veins are ignored as a cosmetic concern for the long term. The underlying cause of spider veins, venous insufficiency, may lead to the development of skin ulcers. Venous insufficiency worsens the functionality of veins over time and makes your leg swell. This swelling in the legs may sometimes lead to skin ulcers. These skin ulcers are open wounds that are extremely painful and are difficult to heal. They need immediate medical attention for effective treatments to prevent these ulcers from getting infected and causing other health problems.

• Discomfort

Spider veins can cause swelling, pain, and a burning sensation in your legs, affecting your ability to conduct daily activities. Leaving them untreated may worsen your symptoms over time and create a sense of restlessness in your legs, especially when you are sitting or standing for long hours in a day. You may find it difficult to engage in regular activities as your legs tend to swell, impacting your mobility.

• Emotional Distress

Spider veins in your legs can also create emotional distress, affecting your self-esteem. The web-like patterns that are found under the skin’s surface could embarrass you in social gatherings and affect your confidence.

Preventing Spider Veins

“Prevention is always better than cure,” and spider veins are no exception. People who have a sedentary lifestyle are at risk of developing spider veins. If you are one of those who spend long hours sitting in front of the desk or standing for long hours in a day, you may develop spider veins. Here are a few measures that help you reduce the chances of developing spider veins.

• Exercises

Active blood flow in veins is very important to prevent spider veins. Do some low-impact exercises like walking, biking, and swimming to have healthy blood flow in your veins.

• Wear compression stockings

Wear compression stockings on your legs if you are sitting for long hours in front of the desk. The compression stockings will help you apply gradual pressure on your legs and help foster the blood flow through your veins.

• Stay active

When you suspect the possibility of developing spider veins, you should try to stay active and keep your muscles moving to avoid the accumulation of blood in veins and keep it moving back to the heart.

You can also follow these remedies if you are looking to manage the symptoms of spider veins, like pain, swelling, and inflammation.

Treatments for spider veins

• CLaCS

CLaCS is the most advanced and modern approach for treating spider veins. The experts here use augmented technology to treat the damaged veins. These veins are completely collapsed and get absorbed into the body. The blood is now flowing through healthy veins, and you will not see any spider veins on the skin’s surface.

• Sclerotherapy

Sclerotherapy is another approach advised by experts to manage spider veins in your legs. The experts will irritate the spider veins by injecting a special liquid. The blood will not find the route to pass through, and you will not experience any symptoms of spider veins like pain, swelling, and bulging.

Conclusion

Spider veins happen in the early stages of venous insufficiency. Though they are not harmful at this stage, ignoring the worsening symptoms could lead to more chronic conditions like varicose veins, ulcers, and blood clots. You may experience other spider vein symptoms like pain, swelling, and bulging in the legs. The symptoms may worsen over time and hamper your ability to conduct daily activities. Early treatment will give you positive outcomes. 

For Spider veins diagnosis and healing, CLaCS treatment is only available at Avis Hospitals, Jubilee Hills, Hyderabad, Telangana State. 

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

• Can I know the difference between spider veins and varicose veins?

The underlying cause of both varicose veins and spider veins is the same, but the spider veins are smaller than varicose veins. They are unlikely to cause any symptoms in the early stages. Consult the vein doctor if you experience any of them.

• Can spider veins lead to varicose veins?

Spider veins and varicose veins are closely related. Untreated spider veins may develop into varicose veins.

• Can home remedies heal spider veins?

With home remedies, you can effectively manage the symptoms of spider veins. However, medical intervention is needed to heal them completely.

• What are the effective treatments available for spider veins?

You can effectively treat spider veins with the most advanced treatments, like CLaCS and sclerotherapy.

• How long does it take to recover from spider veins treatment?

Both the treatment approaches are minimally invasive, and you can resume activities after a short interval.