About 23% of adults in the U.S. have varicose veins, but the figure rises to 80-85% once you include spider and reticular veins. While spider veins often seem an aesthetic concern, they might sometimes highlight a more significant underlying concern, such as chronic venous insufficiency and deep vein thrombosis. If you’re concerned about spider veins, the experts at Vascular Specialist can help. You’ll access advanced treatment options such as venous ablation and sclerotherapy. However, besides treatment, the spider veins Evergreen Park specialists also help avoid the recurrence of these vascular concerns whenever possible. Continue reading to learn more.
How Do Spider Veins Develop?
Spider veins are small veins near the surface of the skin. These veins become noticeable once blood pools and cause them to swell. If the affected veins expand, they resemble a spider web or a clump of branched, purple-reddish lines.
The problem arises when valves that ordinarily direct blood towards the heart malfunction. Therefore, blood flows in the wrong direction, becomes trapped between valves, and accumulates, causing swollen veins.
In numerous circumstances, the valve malfunctions because the strain in larger veins causes the tiny veins to expand. Once these tiny, superficial veins get subjected to pressure for long, they enlarge to the point where their valves no longer shut. Vein injury or damage to the vein valve could also trigger spider veins.
What Are The Risk Factors For Spider Veins?
Here are the five most widespread risk factors for acquiring spider veins:
1. Genetics
Your genetics decide whether you are more prone to spider veins than others. If spider veins exist in your family or you have a genetic history of any venous disease, your likelihood of acquiring spider veins is higher.
2. Age
Aging doesn’t guarantee you’ll develop spider veins, although your risk increases with time. Aging impacts your veins similarly to the other body parts. The vein walls weaken and become increasingly prone to dilatation, enabling blood to pool.
III. Pregnancy
Women have a greater risk for spider veins throughout pregnancy. To begin with, hormonal fluctuations weaken vein walls and cause vein dilation, which strains the valves and allows blood to flow in the opposite direction.
Additionally, as the fetus grows, gravity exerts a downward force on the veins in the legs, posing another risk throughout pregnancy. Furthermore, increased blood volume during pregnancy exerts additional strain on the valve and vein wall.
3. Prolonged Sitting or Standing
When you sit or stand for an extended period, it impacts your leg circulation. As a result, venous hypertension develops and induces extra pressure in the veins within your legs. If your day involves long sitting or standing hours, you could avoid spider veins by taking breaks every 30 minutes.
4. Being Overweight
Any stimulus that stresses or presses on the leg veins might cause them to swell and protrude, leading to spider veins. Whether sitting or walking, bearing extra weight increases this kind of strain.
Despite your best efforts to avoid spider veins, they’ll still probably develop. If so, the specialist at Vascular Specialists can assess your concerns and suggest the most appropriate treatment approach. Call the Evergreen Park or Tinley Park, IL office, or use the online scheduling tool to book an appointment today.
