|
Dermatology
>
Spider Veins
What
Causes Spider Veins?
Spider veins are caused by similar factors that cause
varicose veins and chronic venous insufficiency. These
factors include:
Genetics
Most women with spider veins have mothers and/or female
relatives with this vein condition. Weak vein walls and
valves, as well as shortage of vein valves, seem to be
inherited characteristics, and may play a role in
determining who develops spider veins and at what age.
Pregnancy
During pregnancy, and to a lesser degree also during
periods, fluctuations in the female sex hormone
(especially estrogen and progesterone), cause softening
of the vein walls and valves. This makes women's veins
more prone to stretching and enlargement with increased
pressure. Increased blood volume, which is needed to
provide circulation to the fetus, also cause increased
pressure on the vein walls. The growing fetus also
exerts pressure on the pelvis, which in turn, exerts
pressure on the leg veins. Some women see spider veins
that develop during their pregnancies and persist after
their baby is born. Other see that their veins
disappear after the baby is born, only to reappear
later in life.
Prolonged standing and sitting
Prolonged standing and sitting cause a great amount of
pressure to develop in the leg veins. In both
conditions, the calf muscles are inactive and therefore
cannot help push the venous blood to return to the
heart. This causes blood to pool in the veins, thus
resulting in increased pressure on the vein walls.
This pressure drops once one begins to walk, so if your
job requires you to stand or sit for prolonged periods,
remember to take short breaks and walk around for a
couple of minutes every hour.
Injury
In some people, spider veins appear after injury or
trauma to the vein, such as after a broken ankle,
surgery, car accident, or sports injury. Bruising,
which is pooled blood resulting from broken veins under
the skin, can also lead to an inflammatory response,
which in turn, can result in enlarged veins. Sometimes,
spider veins can appear many years after the wound has
healed.
Vein Conditions
In men, spider veins are usually the result of
blow-outs from nearby varicose veins. High pressure
from these veins cause adjoining superficial veins to
stretch, enlarge, and change in color. These spider
veins are usually darker and have larger diameters than
the spider veins in women. Spider vein matting, which
resemble bruises that do not go away, is often caused
by the healing process of injuries and bruises, as well
as complications from sclerotherapy. Ankle flares, or
spider veins found on the inside ankle, is often
associated with chronic venous insufficiency (CVI), a
condition where venous blood is not returned
efficiently to the heart.
What
Causes of Facial Spider Veins?
 Although
for most people spider veins occurs in their legs, there are
instances where fine veins in the face and nose area become
enlarged and darker in color.
For some, prominent facial veins are caused by rosacea. This
condition is marked by numerous red spider veins in the
nose, cheeks, forehead, and chin, and is sometimes
accompanied by acne breakouts. Although the cause of rosacea
is unknown, it seems that alcohol and spicy food
consumption, as well as stress, may play a role.
Chronic sun exposure can also cause spider veins, as well as
other forms of skin damage such as wrinkles, freckles,
moles, and skin cancer. Trauma, such as bruising, can also
lead to spider veins.
In some people with chronic allergies and inherited
predisposition to vein conditions, repetitive sneezing and
coughing can lead to enlargement of veins around the nose
and below the nostrils. Bouts of violent vomiting can also
create enough pressure to cause spider veins to form in the
cheeks.
The first three factors account for most of the causes of
spider veins. Keep in mind that there may be primary and
contributing factors to spider veins, and these factors may
not contribute equally to the vein conditions in different
individuals.
Laser Treatment
Laser
treatment can be beneficial for some types of spider veins.
Spider veins on the nose and face usually respond better to
lasers than to injections. Some patients develop tiny red
spider veins in areas where larger spider veins or varicose
veins had been previously treated.
And finally,
some patients develop tiny red spider veins from taking
certain medications like birth control pills, hormone
replacement, or steroids. These tiny red veins are difficult
to inject. Laser treatment can sometimes make a significant
improvement in these cases. Ask the doctor if laser spider
vein treatment is right for you.
Sclerotherapy
Millions of women are
bothered by spider veins - those small yet unsightly
clusters of red, blue or purple veins that most commonly
appear on the thighs, calves and ankles. In fact, it's
estimated that at least half of the adult female population
is plagued with this common cosmetic problem.
Sclerotherapy is a way to permanently eliminate spider
veins, although treatment does not prevent new spider veins
from forming. Sclerotherapy
is the introduction of a sclerosing agent
(hardening agent) into spider veins by using a small needle.
The agent causes blood in spider veins to displace, and then
collapse and disappears over time.
A "hypertonic" or very concentrated sodium chloride solution
(saline) is injected into the varicose veins. While there
are many unapproved substances used to sclerose spider
veins, hypertonic saline is the only agent approved by the
FDA.
Ned Snyder IV, MD
/ Plastic Surgery
Renee
Snyder, MD / Dermatology
901 West
38th Street, Suite 410
Austin,
Texas 78705
Phone:
512-533-9900
|
