Spider veins impact a lot of adults, especially women. They appear on the face and legs and tend to become more prevalent as you age. They are usually blue, red, or purple and look like a spiderweb. Spider veins on the leg manifest symptoms such as aching or heavy legs, lower leg cramps, skin discoloration around the affected area, and others. Seeking treatment for spider veins in Bakersfield is important to relieve your symptoms.
Common Causes of Spider Veins
Spider veins result from structural abnormalities in your blood vessels. Veins are responsible for carrying blood back to your heart from other body parts. They make use of one-way valves, so the blood won’t flow back. However, such valves can become defective, letting blood flow back within veins. This results in the blood pooling within the veins, increasing the pressure and weakening the wall of the blood vessels. When the affected blood vessels are dilated, spider veins develop.
Who Is Prone to Spider Veins?
Spider veins are more common in women than men. Different risk factors increase a person’s chances of getting spider veins. These include sitting and standing for long periods, advanced age, pregnancy, obesity, injury, birth control pills, a family history, hormone therapy, and others.
Complications
Spider veins rarely cause severe complications; however, some of those who have them may develop skin ulcers, usually on the lower leg. They may result in infection of the soft tissue. Also, sufferers may develop blood clots within their veins.
Treatment for Spider Veins
People with spider veins may be asked to wear compression stockings at home to alleviate their symptoms. These stockings increase the pressure in the legs, improving circulation. They are available in different styles and compression strengths. A doctor can recommend the proper pair for their clients.
In addition, regular exercise and weight loss can help alleviate the symptoms of spider veins. Those who have this condition should elevate their legs while they sit or sleep to improve circulation and reduce leg swelling. When conservative spider vein management does not work for a patient, specialized medical procedures like sclerotherapy are available. Sclerotherapy can effectively get rid of most spider veins. During the procedure, a liquid solution is injected directly into the affected vein, causing it to collapse and disappear. For optimal results, a patient may need several sessions. Possible side effects of this procedure include swelling, bruising, skin discoloration, infection, and bleeding. In general, spider veins will start to disappear within 3-4 weeks following treatment.
