Varicose veins and spider veins

Varicose veins

• Swollen, twisted, and enlarged veins that develop when healthy vein walls and valves become weak
• Usually develop on the legs, but also can form in other parts of the body
• Unsightly and unattractive
• May cause leg pain, swelling, tingling, and restless legs
• Typically do not cause medical problems, but can lead to leg swelling, pain, blood clots, and ulcers
• Follow-up care after treatments

Spider veins

• Smaller, thinner, milder version of varicose veins
• Appear close to the surface of the skin
• Sometimes surround larger varicose veins

Symptoms

Varicose veins

• Dark-blue or purple appearance
• Legs that ache or feel tired, tender, burning, throbbing, itchy, or cramped
• "Bulging" veins that appear raised on the skin surface

Spider veins

• Tiny groups of red, blue, or purple veins
• Spider web-like, branch-like, or thin-line patterns

Risks factors for varicose and spider veins

• Age (varicose veins typically occur as you get older)
• Gender (women are more likely than men to develop varicose veins)
• Being overweight
• Pregnancy
• History of blood clots in the legs
• Standing or sitting for long periods of time
• Lack of physical activity
• Family history

Diagnosis

• Varicose veins can be diagnosed by a physical exam.
• A Duplex ultrasound is performed in the majority of patients.
• This test uses sound waves to measure blood flow and determine how much blood is flowing backward or pooling in the leg.

Treatments for varicose veins and spider veins

Non-surgical treatments

• Elevating your legs above your heart several times each day
• Compression stockings that gently "squeeze" your legs and push blood toward your heart

Medical treatments

• Microphlebectomy (also known as stab or ambulatory phlebectomy), an outpatient procedure that uses small incisions in the skin to remove varicose veins
• Venous ablation, a catheter-based outpatient procedure that uses heat (via radiofrequency or laser technology) to close and seal a vein
• Sclerotherapy, an outpatient procedure that involves injecting a chemical solution directly into the vein, which stops blood flow and causes the vein to collapse and disappear over time:
  • Conventional liquid sclerotherapy
  • Ultrasound-guided foam sclerotherapy