Vascular spider veins in women

Spider veins in women - why do they form, how do they manifest and how to treat them?

Vascular spider veins in womenvascular spider veins, known professionally as telangiectasias, are one of the first and also most frequent reasons for visiting the Phlebology Clinic. The problem of spider veins is usually incorrectly treated as an aesthetic defect. Unfortunately, this is also how doctors approach this problem. The appearance of vascular spider veins (it is not a bursting of blood vessels!) is most often one of the first symptoms (a harbinger) of progressive venous disease.

Spider veins are a problem that affects the female gender far more frequently (approximately 50% women aged 40-60 years compared to 25% men aged 30-60 years). They are clusters of dilated blood vessels located close under the skin. Their colour ranges from red, through shades of pink to dark purple, bluish. These clusters also take on different shapes. They can be star-shaped or fan-shaped, and are sometimes arranged less regularly.

Spider veins are one of the most common and earliest manifestations of venous disorders, appearing mainly on the skin of the lower extremities (thighs and lower legs). Because spider veins look harmless and do not cause pain, they are often overlooked. Remember, however, that in fact spider veins are usually the tip of the iceberg. If they appear on your legs, go immediately to the doctor of phlebologywho will certainly perform a Doppler ultrasound of the veins of the lower limbs, and often also a Doppler ultrasound of the pelvic veins, and determine where the source of the problem lies.

Causes of vascular spider veins in women - how to protect yourself from the problem?

Spider veins, as one of the components of venous insufficiency (the smallest and shallowest), are caused by increased pressure in the venous bed. Their formation also occurs due to abnormal hormonal influences. This is particularly evident during pregnancy in women, in ladies with fatty oedema or in those with abnormal oestrogen secretion.

The tendency to outgrow spider veins is partly hereditary, and people with fair skin are often at risk. It is difficult to win against genes, so ensuring perfect prevention of this ailment is sometimes simply impossible. What you can certainly do, however, is to avoid factors that increase the risk of telangiectasia and to start treatment as soon as possible if you develop a venous problem.

Alcohol abuse, overheating of the legs, obesity or ill-adapted hormone therapy is something people with a predisposition to spider veins should watch out for. Additionally, tight trousers, uncomfortable stiletto shoes or shoes that may be too tight should be avoided.

When sitting, change your position frequently and also try not to put your leg over your leg. Since the formation of spider veins is always associated with circulation disorders in the vascular system, all activities that cause additional strain on the lower limbs are inadvisable. It is also worth betting on physical activity, but bear in mind that some exercises such as skiing or weight lifting may additionally contribute to the development of the condition. Therefore, choose sports activities that do not harm your health (e.g. swimming or active walking). Also ensure that you wear loose clothing and have a complete vitamin-rich diet.

Spider veins - and what next?

If you experience the problem of enlarging telangiectasias, go straight away to a doctor who is a specialist in vein disease and can best advise you on how to proceed in your individual case. This is what modern phlebology deals with. The phlebologist always performs an initial ultrasound examination using Doppler techniques during the first visit.

Remember that untreated spider veins appearing on the skin can be a symptom of chronic venous insufficiency. Often spider veins are treated in aesthetic medicine clinics. Patients arrive there without a properly performed imaging diagnosis. The aesthetic physician or dermatologist, using a transdermal laser, attempts to treat the problem, usually without success.

Treatment of spider veins, or how to stop the disease process?

During phlebology visit You will hear everything you need to know to stop the progression of venous insufficiency. If you go to a phlebologist early enough, the chance of slowing down the disease is very high. After a well-chosen imaging diagnosis, the doctor will decide how to proceed.

Within the lower limbs, the most commonly used treatment is sclerotherapy, specifically a variant called micro-sclerotherapy. During microsclerotherapy, dilated vessels and the vessels supplying them are closed or those that fail to drain blood from the skin are modified. 

When performing a compression sclerotherapy procedure to inside the abnormal veins, a so-called sclerosant, a chemical agent, is administered, which leads to unsealing of the vessel's endothelium, its irritation, fibrosis and eventually overgrowth of the lumen.

Transdermal laser therapy treatment is usually performed at the end and is the crowning procedure. More as a complement to microsclerotherapy. It is worth bearing in mind, however, that spider veins without eliminating the cause of their outcrop, or after subsequent pregnancies, can recur.

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