Spider Veins
An Overview

Spider veins are formed by the dilation of a small group of blood vessels located close to the surface of the skin. Although they can appear anywhere on the body, spider veins are most commonly found on the face and legs. Spider veins are clusters of thin red, blue, or purple colored veins resembling spider legs that appear on the thighs, calves, ankles, and sometimes the face. It is estimated that approximately half of all adult women are affected by spider veins. Spider veins are small red or purple veins on the surface of the skin. They may appear as branches or a starburst.

Spider veins are cherry red in color and usually appear on the legs, sometimes on the arms, and occasionally on the face. They are thin and thread-like, usually 1-2 mm in diameter, and generally appear in a linear pattern, a branch-like pattern, or a spider pattern. Spider veins are red, blue, or purple veins in the shape of a spider web just underneath the surface of the skin on the legs and face. Treating them helps improve your skin's appearance, creating a more uniform, unblemished look. Spider veins are visible because of blood in the dilated vein. When the vein is collapsed, it no longer carries blood and is therefore, no longer visible.

Spider veins are more common in women. Men do have spider veins, but often do not consider them to be a cosmetic problem because the veins are usually concealed by hair growth on the leg. Spider veins are most common on the thighs, ankles, and feet. They may also appear on the face. Spider veins are dilated small blood vessels that have a red or bluish color. They can be short, unconnected lines each about the width of a hair, or connected in a scraggly, sunburst-type pattern.

Spider veins are the small purple veins that do not bulge out the skin - they are usually hereditary in nature. Sclerotherapy is performed with extremely small needles. Spider veins are most commonly seen on the legs of women. However, they can also be seen on both men and women, in the form of Telangiectasia, or smaller veins around the facial area. Spider veins are most often removed because they are viewed as an unattractive blemish on the skin.

Blood is re-routed into nearby healthy veins. Although there has been much publicity about ‘laser’ treatment for spider veins, most vein specialists consider laser therapy to be less effective and more painful than sclerotherapy. Blood clots can be very dangerous because they can move from leg veins and travel to the lungs. Blood clots in the lungs are life-threatening because they can block the heart and lungs from functioning. Blood can only flow toward the heart. When the valves fail, as in the picture on the right, blood can flow backwards, causing veins to swell and become painful.

For more information please refer to the following pages.  Compression Stocking Article, Compression Stockings, Compression Socks.

by Gail Burton -

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