Spider veins are common and measure only a few millimeters. They can happen anywhere on your body but are mostly found on the face around the cheeks, nose, and chin. You can also develop spider veins on the legs and specifically on the upper thigh, below the knee joint, and around the ankles. They are harmless but unsightly.
Capillaries connect veins and arteries and help transport water and oxygen between the blood and tissues. Think of capillaries as a rubber band that is stretched or expanded and contracted in size. At times, these capillaries get dilated so much that they cannot return to their original small sizes. However, once they become dilated, they often remain visible. The condition is knowns as telangiectasias.
Spider veins are painless and common, and they still have their normal functions of transporting nutrients, water, and oxygen. The problem? They simply cannot shrink down to a small size due to overstretching. The condition is a cosmetic concern, and it makes your skin look red, splotchy, and aged.
What Causes Spider Veins?
Small blood vessels expand and contract all the time, and there are many causes leading to the development of spider veins. Some causes are:
- Sun exposure or additional heat from the sun. Sun exposure tends to enlarge blood vessels, and a sunburn causes the top layer of skin to peel, making small veins more noticeable.
- Consuming alcohol causes the skin to flush due to the enlargement of blood vessels. Heavy drinking increases the risk of over dilation of capillaries. Drinking too much and too often leads to spider veins.
- Even on your legs, dehydrated skin causes the skin to become thinner. Dehydration causes fine lines to appear on your thighs.
- Injuries or bruising lead to spider vines in the legs.
- Environmental irritants cause spider veins. The appearance of these web-like veins is very common during the cold winter months. The body needs to use more energy to regulate the temperature and preserve heat, and cold weather constricts the blood vessels. Once you go inside someplace warm, the capillaries rapidly dilate, and the change in pressure causes them to remain dilated.
There are certain everyday things you do to your skin that cause spider veins. Some of these are unavoidable but sitting all day with little breaks is the most common cause of spider veins in the legs.
Other causes of spider veins include:
- You will probably have spider veins if you have a family history of spider veins.
- Pregnancy causes spider veins because of increased estrogen and pressure.
- Diseases affecting the liver have caused spider veins. The liver breaks down estrogen and progesterone, and when these hormones rise, they cause dilation in capillaries, causing spider veins.
Sounds like spider veins are unavoidable, but there are things you can do to make spider veins less visible.
How To Treat Broken Capillaries or Spider Veins
Spider veins are generally permanent and require treatment to make them go away. A few DIY and neutral remedies are available, but these remedies really don’t help.
Due to the many causes of spider veins, not every treatment option may apply to your body. However, consultation with a certified provider experienced in reducing broken capillaries will give you options.
Laser Treatment
One of the most effective options for reducing the appearance of spider veins is laser treatment. Lasers directly target the blood vessels, leaving the surrounding tissue intact. The hemoglobin absorbs the laser’s light, and it vaporizes the blood causing the vein to collapse. The body naturally dissolves what is left. There is minimal downtime with laser treatment, and you can usually return to your daily activities immediately after the procedure. Laser treatment is generally a permanent solution.
Microneedling
Microneedling is an effective treatment used for spider veins on the face. The procedure helps generate new collagen and helps the outer layer of the skin to be more elastic.
Sclerotherapy for Legs
Depending on the veins on your legs, it is suggested that sclerotherapy be used to treat visible leg veins. Sclerotherapy is an effective treatment that involves an injection of medicine directly into the blood vessels to dissolve the spider veins.
How can you prevent spider veins?
Taking vitamin C helps strengthen blood vessels. Vitamin C is a main component in the capillary walls, and additional vitamin C helps promote collagen synthesis.
Other measures include:
- Limiting sun exposure
- Avoiding extreme heat
- Protective gear like leg protection for certain sports and cycling activities
- Weight control is a key prevention method. Due to weight, too much pressure on the legs can lead to spider veins and damage the leg valves that control the veins.
Take control of your health and weight to avoid spider veins on your legs. Contact Bella Medspa Clarksville, TN, for help when you have unsightly spider veins. Contact Bella Medspa at https://bellamedspa.com or call them at 931.245.0500. They do offer free consultations.
