Spider Veins

What Are They?

Spider veins are like varicose veins but smaller. They are also closer to the surface of the skin than varicose veins and most often are red or blue. With their short, jagged lines, they can look eerily similar to tree branches or spiderwebs. They can be found on the legs and face and can cover either a very small or very large area of skin. Medical experts believe that approximately 50 to 55 percent of women and 40 to 45 percent of men in Canada and the United States suffer from some type of vein problem.

Spider veins are rarely a serious health problem, but they can cause significant discomfort in the legs. If there are symptoms from spider veins, most often they will be itching or burning. Less often, spider veins can be a sign of blood backup deeper inside that you can't see on the skin.

How Can the LalliCare Clinic Skin Care and Hair Removal Centre Help Remove My Spider Veins?

The LalliCare Clinic's highly skilled preofessional practitioners use a state of the art Intense Pulsed Light machine to reduce or eliminate their visibility over a short series of treatments.

What Causes Spider Veins?

Spider veins can be caused by the backup of blood. They can also be caused by hormone changes, exposure to the sun, and injuries.

Why do spider veins usually appear in the legs?

Most varicose and spider veins appear in the legs due to the pressure of body weight, force of gravity, and task of carrying blood from the bottom of the body up to the heart.

Compared with other veins in the body, leg veins have the toughest job of carrying blood back to the heart. They endure the most pressure. This pressure can be stronger than the one-way valves in the veins.

What factors increase my risk of varicose veins and spider veins?

Many factors increase a person's chances of developing spider veins. These include:

• Increasing age. As you get older, the valves in your veins may weaken and not work as well.
• Medical history. Being born with weak vein valves increases your risk. Having family members with vein problems also increases your risk. About half of all people who have varicose veins have a family member who has them too.
• Hormonal changes. These occur during puberty, pregnancy, and menopause. Taking birth control pills and other medicines containing estrogen and progesterone also may contribute to the forming of varicose or spider veins.
• Pregnancy. During pregnancy, there is a huge increase in the amount of blood in the body. This can cause veins to enlarge. The growinguterus also puts pressure on the veins. Varicose veins usually improve within 3 months after delivery. More varicose veins and spider veins usually appear with each additional pregnancy.
• Obesity. Being overweight or obese can put extra pressure on your veins. This can lead to varicose veins.
• Lack of movement. Sitting or standing for a long time may force your veins to work harder to pump blood to your heart. This may be a bigger problem if you sit with your legs bent or crossed.
• Sun exposure. This can cause spider veins on the cheeks or nose of a fair-skinned person.