Spider Veins FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions about Spider Veins:
What are spider veins?
Spider veins (also called telangiectasia or venulectasias)
are enlarged veins near the skin surface that appear purple, red, or
blue. They are commonly found on the legs, though they can also appear
on the face and other parts of the body.
These enlarged veins are usually short unconnected lines or arranged
in a sunburst pattern like a spider's web. Unsightly spider veins can
occur in small, unnoticed areas, but they can also grow to cover a large
area of skin if left untreated.
Most spider veins don't hurt - they don't have any symptoms beside
looking bad. That's why they are usually only considered as a cosmetic
problem. In rare cases, spider veins that develop from deeper "reticular"
or feeder veins may come with a burning sensation, itching, or dull
Typically, spider veins appear to have diameters of 1 mm or less, but
their actual diameters may up to 3 mm under the surface. Small spider
veins are usually pinkish red, whereas larger spider veins are blue
or purple in color.
Sometimes, a cluster of spider veins may appear as a red or purple
patch called blushing or matting (telangiectatic matting) that are often
mistaken for bruises. Unlike bruises, however, spider vein mattings
do not fade with time.
Another form of spider veins, called an ankle flare, is a cluster of
spider veins - usually associated with another form of vein problem
called varicose veins - that is located on the inner ankle.
Spider veins affect mostly women, though it can also occur in men.
What causes spider veins?
To understand the root cause of spider veins, we have to step back
a little and talk about veins.
Veins are a big part of your body's circulatory system - they carry
blood back to the heart after it has delivered nutrients to the body's
tissues. Inside these veins are a series of one-way valves that ensure
that the blood travels only toward the heart. These valves separate
veins into many internal segments.
When the valves don't work properly, blood can "build up"
in a segment of the vein. This increases the pressure on the vein and
causes the vein walls to stretch. After a while, the stretched vein
walls would develop micro-tears and leaks that allow blood and metabolism
by-products to seep out and stain the outside of the veins. We see this
as the unsightly purple, red, and blue color of spider veins.
Left untreated, the stretched vein walls in one segment of the vein
will lead to valve failures in neighboring segments - just like a domino
effect. That's why when they are left untreated, small spider veins
will "grow" into large ones.
What factors contribute to spider veins?
There are several factors that cause some people, but not others, to
develop spider veins:
Most women with spider veins have mothers and/or grandmothers who
also have them. These women unfortunately inherit a tendency for weak
vein walls and poorly functioning vein valves.
They also tend to develop spider veins at a relatively young age (in
their thirties or even in their twenties). Their spider vein conditions
also tend to be more severe, like multiple patches that grow larger
year after year.
During pregnancy, and to a lesser degree also during their monthly
cycles, fluctuations in the female sex hormone estrogen and progesterone
cause the softening of the vein walls and valves. This makes a woman's
veins more prone to stretching.
Increased blood volume, which is needed to provide circulation to
the fetus, also causes increased pressure on the vein walls. The growing
fetus also exerts pressure on the pelvis, which in turn, causes more
pressure on the leg veins.
Some women see spider veins develop during their pregnancies that
persist after their babies are born. Others see these veins disappear
after the birth of their babies, only to see them reappear later in
- Prolonged standing or sitting
Both prolonged standing and sitting cause a great amount of pressure
to develop in leg veins. In both conditions, the calf muscles are
inactive and therefore cannot help push venous blood to return to
the heart. This causes blood to pool in the veins, thus resulting
in increased pressure on the vein walls.
This pressure drops once you begin to walk, so if your job requires
you to stand or sit for prolonged periods, remember to take short
breaks and walk around for a few minutes every hour.
- Injury or trauma
In some people, spider veins appear after injury or trauma to the
vein. These include broken ankle, surgery, car accident or sports
injury. Bruising, which is pooled blood resulting from broken veins
under the skin, can also lead to an inflammatory response, which in
turn, can result in enlarged veins.
Sometimes, spider veins can appear many years after the wound has
healed (for instance, if you bruised your shin by accidentally banging
it against the coffee table, spider veins can appear in that location
- Vein conditions
In men, spider veins are usually the result of blow-outs from nearby
varicose veins. High pressure from these veins cause neighboring smaller
veins to stretch and enlarge. These spider veins are usually darker
and have larger diameters than the spider veins in women.
Spider vein matting, which resemble bruisings that do not fade, is
often caused by the healing process of injuries and bruises, as well
as complications from schlerotherapy.
Ankle flares, or cluster of spider veins found on the inside of ankles,
are often associated with chronic venous insufficiency (CVI), a form
of poor circulation where venous blood is not efficiently returned
to the heart.
- Causes of facial spider veins
For most people, spider veins occur in their legs. But there are instances
where fine veins in the face and nose area become enlarged and darker
For some, prominent facial veins are caused by rosacea. This condition
is marked by numerous red spider veins in the nose, cheek, forehead,
and chin, and is sometimes accompanied by acne breakouts. Although
the cause of rosacea is not known, it seems that alcohol, spicy food,
and stress may play a role.
Chronic sun exposure can also cause or exacerbate facial spider veins.
In some people with chronic allergies, repetitive coughing and sneezing
can lead to enlargement of veins around the nose and below the nostrils.
Bouts of violent vomitings can also lead to spider veins on the cheeks.
The first three factors account for most of the causes of spider veins.
Please keep in mind that there may be a primary and several secondary
or contributing factors to spider veins, and that these factors may
not contribute equally to spider veins in different individuals.
What are the conventional treatments
for spider veins?
There are two main conventional treatments for spider veins: sclerotherapy
or injection therapy, and laser treatment. Let's review them both.
Sclerotherapy or injection therapy
In this treatment, chemical irritants (or sclerosants) are injected
at the general location of spider veins. This chemical irritates the
lining of the vein and cause blood clots to form and the veins to collapse.
Blood is prevented from entering these veins, and the body will slowly
remove these spider veins. This process can take anywhere from two weeks
to as long as a year.
Sclerotherapy is an outpatient procedure, and may require many repeat
visits to your doctor's office. In most cases, your doctor may elect
to use a salt water or saline solution as the sclerosant. In other cases,
anesthetic or surfactants such as sodium tetradecyl sulfate (STS) are
used. After the injection, a compression bandage is applied to make
the vein collapse.
Although sclerotherapy is a safe procedure and is effective in treating
minor vein problems, it does have several drawbacks:
- First, sclerotheraphy does not address the underlying cause of spider
veins, therefore it is not a permanent cure - up to 70% of spider
veins reappear after about three to four years, with some reappearing
in as early as a couple of months.
- Second, sclerotherapy can be a painful procedure, especially if
saline or a salt solution is used. For some, pain and tenderness can
last for weeks.
- Third, sclerotherapy can leave temporary and permanent patches
of yellor or brown discolored skin at the site of the injection, which
can create a larger cosmetic problem.
A laser is basically a concentrated beam of light that when focused
on a particular spot, can create a large amount of destructive heat.
When applied to the skin, the laser's thermal energy is absorbed primarily
by blood cells inside the spider vein. These blood cells become very
hot and create a clotting effect which collapses or closes the vein.
The body will then slowly remove the collapsed veins, and thus reduce
the appearance of the spider veins.
Depending on the machine used, there are various forms of laser treatments.
These include argon laser, pulsed dye laser, and intense pulsed light.
Laser theraphy can also be adapted to treat pigmented lesions and warts,
as well as to remove unwanted hair. Because it is less painful than
sclerotheraphy, laser is often the preferred treatment method for fine
spider veins, especially the ones in the face. However, even this treatment
has several drawbacks:
- First and foremost, the effect of laser is often temporary because
it does not address the root cause of the vein conditions - most people
see their spider veins come back after the procedure. The result is
also variable - some people experience very good results, whereas
others see virtually no changes.
- Laser therapy is often very expensive and is not covered by most
insurance policies. A patient may also need several rounds of laser
therapy to see the effects.
- Laser is less effective for spider veins in the leg and for larger
- In people with darker skin, laser is usually not as effective as
in people with lighter skin. This is because the skin pigment melanin
also absorbs the laser's energy, thus diverting the laser's effect
on spider veins.
- Although laser therapies are less painful than sclerotherapy, it
is not completely painless. Some feel stinging or burning sensation,
which may last for several hours. Others may experience blisters and
skin discoloration in the treated area.
What are the natural alternatives for
Given the drawbacks of conventional treatments, more and more people
are turning to natural supplements and creams for spider veins. Advances
in scientific purification and investigations into the active ingredients
of many herbs have helped make natural supplements a promising alternative
for those with spider veins.
As opposed to sclerotheraphy and laser therapy, natural supplements
aim to address the root cause of vein conditions: weak vein walls and
valves. Many of the herbs listed below act to improve the strength of
the vein walls, increase flexibility, normalize vein permeability, and
improve blood microcirculation.
The best herbs and botanicals for spider veins are:
- Japanese pagoda tree
pagoda tree extract is definitely one of the most effective herbs
for vein health. The extract has been used widely in Europe since
the mid-1960s for treatment of various vein conditions. It is thought
to enhance vein and capillary stability, normalize their permeability,
and reduce inflammation. Japanese pagoda tree extract has also been
shown to improve blood microcirculation.
A wealth of double-blind placebo-controlled clinical studies, involving
more than 2,000 patients, have shown the effectiveness of this extract
in treating various vein conditions.
- Horse chestnut
chestnut extract, derived from the seed of prickly fruit of the shady
horse chestnut tree, has been used for many decades as an herbal preparation
for various vein conditions, including spider veins and varicose veins.
Horse chestnut extract has been shown to reduce inflammation and improve
the vein wall tone to facilitate blood flow back to the heart. It
seems to fix microscopic leaks in tiny veins and capillaries, as well
as reinforce the strength of the vein walls, promote their elasticity,
and prevent swelling.
- Grape seed
seed extract is rich in antioxidants, which helps protect the cell
against harmful free radicals. It has been used successfully to improve
circulation, increase skin elasticity, and prevent blood clots from
forming. Popular uses of grape seed extracts include treating vascular
or vein conditions, such as spider vein and varicose vein, as well
as for improving vision and maintaining a healthy heart.
- Vitamins K
Vitamin K is a fat soluble vitamin that is required for proper blood
clotting function, as well as for maintaining bone health. A form
of this vitamin called vitamin K1, has been used for many years by
doctors as topical cosmetic applications to help heal bruises and
scrapes, as well as for treating varicose veins.
A note about Venarin Supplement and VenarinMax cream
Venarin Supplement contains high-grade Japanese pagoda tree, horse chestnut,
and grape seed extracts in vegetarian capsule formula. VenarinMax cream
is a maximum strength natural topical cream with Japanese pagoda tree,
vitamin B5, and vitamin K1.
The combination of Venarin Supplement and VenarinMax cream are designed
to help you achieve and maintain optimal vein health. By addressing
the root cause of spider veins, Venarin will help you naturally reduce
the unsightly appearance of spider veins and help you regain a beautiful
Learn more about Venarin and how it works: Venarin
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