Spider veins

What are spider veins?

Spider veins are small, visible veins that run superficially under the skin. Due to a permanently increased pressure in the blood vessels, the fine capillaries lose their elasticity and give up their lethargy. Bright red to dark blue veins, vascular trees or spots become visible. Since these fine veins resemble the shape of brushwood, they are called spider veins. They usually occur isolated on a vein without affecting deeper veins.

Spider veins are usually found on the legs. As a rule, the thighs, the inner sides of the lower legs and the ankle regions are affected. Women are more frequently affected than men because they often suffer from weak connective tissue, which favors vein dilation.

Spider veins on the face

Spider veins on the face must be clearly demarcated from those on the leg. Extended veins on the face are also referred to as “telangiectasias”. These are extended small capillaries of the skin, which can appear like a net. In most cases, telangiectasias are found on the nostrils and over the zygomatic bones. It is less about congestion-induced spider veins, but rather about genetically induced vasodilation (congenital connective tissue weakness). The facial telangiectasias are usually harmless.

Spider veins: cause

There are several causes of spider veins. Responsible for this is usually a permanently increased pressure in the vessels, such as hypertension. Other risk factors include female gender (tendency to weak connective tissue), alcohol and nicotine consumption. Some influencing factors in detail:

Spider veins – Blood stasis in the veins

If the blood backs up in the veins, the vessel walls can expand – spider veins are favored. Patients with high blood pressure (hypertension) therefore often have the fine vascular dilations.

Overweight and lack of exercise also slow down the bloodstream of the veins. Long sitting or lying also impedes the blood flow and can cause spider veins in the long term. In the evening, sufferers often complain about exciting, heavy legs and experience raising their legs as pleasant and soothing.

Spider veins – alcohol and nicotine

The pleasure poisons alcohol and nicotine can permanently damage the blood vessels. Nicotine makes the vessel walls more permeable (porous). Excessive alcohol intake often leads to vascular dilation. Spider veins on the fingers, toes or face (on the nose) occur more frequently and can be interpreted as a first indication of harmful alcohol consumption.

Spider veins – pregnancy

During pregnancy, the hormone balance of the woman is reversed. The female sex hormones (such as the estrogens) provide among other things for a relaxation of the connective tissue and for a widening of the vessels. The vessel walls also become softer and more porous. Liquid can thus escape more easily from the vessels and lead to accumulation of water in the tissue (edema) and cause spider veins.

Drastic weight loss after delivery is also often associated with a change in connective tissue structure followed by the extension of superficial veins.

Spider veins: diagnostics

Spider veins can usually be easily diagnosed, as they are visible to the naked eye and have a typical reticulate course. The right contact person regarding spider veins is a specialist in phlebology. In a first interview, the doctor will record your medical history (anamnesis) by asking you various questions, such as:

• How old are they?
• Do you smoke and if so, how much?
• Do you suffer from connective tissue disease?
• Do you feel a tension and heaviness in the legs in the evening?
• In women: Are you or have you been pregnant recently?
• Do you have family members with spider veins?
• Are you bothering the spider veins or do you suffer from them?

Afterwards, the doctor will physically examine you and, among other things, closely inspect your face, hands, legs and feet. In doing so, the doctor pays attention to possible swelling or discoloration of the skin, for example when comparing the legs or hands.

If the doctor wants to be sure and would like to exclude lower-lying varicose veins, an ultrasound examination (sonography) or an X-ray examination of the vessels (angiography) is an advantage. The blood flow of the lower-lying veins can thus also be assessed.

Spider veins: treatment

Depending on how pronounced the spider veins are and in which body region they occur, they may be more or less disturbed by those affected. If necessary, the dilated veins can be removed by sclerotherapy. In addition, alternative remedies such as herbal tinctures, ointments or Schuessler salts can be used to improve the circulation in the skin.

Remove spider veins

Read all important information about removing spider veins here.

Prevent spider veins

Those who are prone to spider veins should take preventive measures to improve blood circulation:

Spider veins prevent – showers and massages

When changing showers, the body is alternately hot and cold showered. The blood vessels are trained to stretch quickly (in warmth) and contract again (in cold weather). The circulation is stimulated by this, and the blood circulation of the skin improves. For many people, the skin visibly firmer. The changing shower is considered an effective, easy way to stop spider veins in their spread.

The regular use of brush massages also improves blood circulation and can stop and prevent spider veins.

Prevent spider veins – sport

Through regular physical activity such as swimming, cycling and running, the leg muscles can be strengthened. This helps to pump the venous blood from the legs back to the heart (muscle pump). This prevents it from jamming in the legs.

Spider veins prevent – Herbal products

Various herbal products (creams, capsules, tinctures) are said to have a protective effect on the veins. Vine leaf extract is considered an old home remedy. Various vine leaf extract preparations for envelopes or infusions are commercially available. Some patients also report positive results with horse chestnut extract. It contains the active substance Aescin, which is intended to reduce the permeability of the vein walls and to improve blood circulation.

Prevent spider veins – compression stockings

Compression stockings are very tight stockings that compress the leg veins from the outside. The stockings create external pressure on the tissue, which relieves the venous and lymphatic system. The compression stockings improve the blood flow of the veins and can thus counteract the formation of a blood clot with subsequent vascular occlusion (thrombosis).

Compression stockings help Spider veins to prevent and combat.