Spider Veins
Causes & Risk Factors
Spider veins are the mildest manifestation of venous reflux disease. They are small, often tangled groups of blood vessels just under the skin surface that frequently resemble spider webs or tree branches. They are generally purple, blue or red in color and are clearly visible, usually on the legs and face. Spider veins are not varicose veins – they do not bulge above the skin surface like varicose veins and do not require medical treatment except for cosmetic purposes.
Many of the risk factors for spider veins are similar to those for varicose veins – heredity, advancing age, pregnancy, obesity, hormonal changes and occupations requiring extended periods of standing. They can also be triggered by exposure to the ultraviolet rays of the sun, particularly in fair-skinned people, and by certain medications. Spider veins may also develop at the site of an injury to the skin surface, sometimes years after the injury. As with varicose veins, spider veins appear more often in women than in men.
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