Why Do I Have Spider Veins?
Few people think about spider veins until they begin to notice them on their own body. While spider veins typically pose no health threat, the sight of bluish or red lines on the legs, hands, or face can cause people to feel insecure about their appearance and go to great lengths to hide their spider veins.
The first question many patients ask us about spider veins is “How did I get them?” Here are some of the most common causes of spider veins and how to treat them:
1. Age
The main cause of spider veins is simply the aging process. As we grow older, skin and veins tend to weaken. As skin ages and declines in strength, the small red spider veins and larger blue spider veins are more easily seen.
2. Genes
Vein disease tends to run in the family. If anyone in your family has suffered from varicose or spider veins, you are more likely to experience vein disease as well.
3. Sun exposure
Your blood vessels become enlarged when you expose yourself too much to the sun. Overexposure to the sun can lead to spider vein formation in areas that are commonly exposed, like the face, hands, and legs.
4. Rosacea
Rosacea and other inflammatory skin ailments like eczema can sometimes cause spider veins to develop. These conditions can cause irritation and dilation, adding extra pressure to the small veins and capillaries within your body.
5. Gender
Women are more likely to get spider veins due to the levels of female hormones such as estrogen and progesterone that play an important role in fertility and menstruation. These hormones are partly responsible for why women are more likely to develop varicose veins than men. These hormones cause the muscles that control the movement of blood in your veins to relax. This relaxation may affect blood flow and lead to pooling.
6. Pregnancy
Skin issues are common among pregnant women. The increase in estrogen hormones can be contributing factors that cause blood vessels to break.
7. Alcohol Consumption
When you consume alcohol, it causes your skin to flush. That redness in the face is caused by blood vessels becoming enlarged. If you are a binge drinker, there’s a chance your heavy alcohol use can lead to the formation of spider veins on your face.
8. Other Lifestyle Factors
Various lifestyle factors can contribute to the development of spider veins. Smoking causes damage to veins and arteries. Overexertion, excess stress, eyestrain and insomnia can also contribute to spider vein formation on the face.
Spider Vein Treatment
Unfortunately, spider veins will not just go away on their own. You can try using cover-up to hide spider veins, but that’s a short term fix. Luckily, there are simple treatments available that cause minimal discomfort.
Sclerotherapy is a very effective method of treating most spider veins. An irritating (sclerosing) solution is injected directly into the vein through a tiny micro needle. The vein closes, and then disappears with normal healing. Sclerotherapy has been a well accepted method of treating varicose veins for over 50 years.
Elmore Medical Vein & Laser Treatment Center is the premier vein specialty medical practice in the Central Valley. Dr. Mario H. Gonzalez and his staff offer years of experience and medical expertise that you won’t find anywhere else. Contact us to set up a consultation appointment.