5 Factors That Increase Your Risk of Developing Spider Veins
Spider veins are quite common, affecting more than 50% of women. These twisted reddish-purple veins sit close to your skin’s surface and can make you feel self-conscious in shorts, skirts, or bathing suits.
Though spider veins don’t usually pose a danger to your health, they can take a toll on your self-esteem and comfort out in public. At Zarcone Vein & Aesthetics, fellowship-trained cardiovascular surgeon John Zarcone, MD, wants to help you get rid of, or better yet, prevent spider veins.
Read on to learn why spider veins develop and what puts you at risk for them.
Why you have spider veins
Spider veins are small, dysfunctional veins that sit close to the skin’s surface. They become visible when blood backs up and accumulates in the veins, making them enlarge. When they enlarge, they look like a cluster of reddish-purple lines that branch out or resemble a spider web.
A normal vein has one-way valves that pump blood back to your heart. When these valves don’t work properly, blood can get stuck, creating visible spider veins.
The problem develops when valves that normally keep blood flowing toward your heart don’t work properly. As a result, blood goes in the wrong direction, gets stuck between valves, and builds up, creating engorged veins.
Your veins’ valves may malfunction because of pressure from surrounding veins or trauma.
You may be at risk of developing spider veins
Spider veins can develop because of an underlying problem in the vein system called venous insufficiency, which occurs when the valves in larger veins in your legs are dysfunctional and allow blood to pool.
Risk factors for venous insufficiency and spider veins include:
1. Your genes
If your mom, dad, aunt, or other close relative has or had spider veins, you probably willl, too. Your genes can put you at a greater risk of developing vein problems in general.
2. Older age
Not everyone develops spider veins as they age, but your risk increases over time. Aging affects your veins just like the rest of your body. The vein walls become weaker and more susceptible to expanding, allowing blood to back up.
3. Pregnancy
Pregnant women are three times more likely to develop spider veins than the average person. Hormone changes that occur when you’re expecting weaken vein walls and make the veins dilate, which pulls at the valves, and lets blood flow in the wrong direction.
As the baby grows, you experience more downward pressure on your leg veins. You also experience an increase in blood volume when you’re pregnant, placing extra pressure against the vein wall and valve.
4. Long periods of standing or sitting
When you sit or stand for a long time, circulation in your legs can become compromised. You develop venous hypertension, which causes additional pressure on the veins in your legs. If your day includes prolonged standing or sitting, you can help prevent spider veins by getting up every half hour and taking a short walk.
5. Overweight or obesity
Carrying extra weight puts pressure on your leg veins. The resulting expansion and bulging can cause spider veins to form.
When to worry about spider veins
If you’re bothered by spider veins’ cosmetic appearance, that’s enough reason to seek treatment at Zarcone Vein & Aesthetics. But spider veins can sometimes make your skin itch, cause a slight burning sensation, or they may bleed when you shave over them.
At Zarcone Vein & Aesthetics, we can eliminate your spider veins with safe and effective vein treatments. To schedule an evaluation and talk about your options, call the office nearest you in Port Washington or Staten Island, NY. You can also request an appointment online.