Causes of Varicose and Spider Veins

Some predisposing factors include ageing, standing occupations, and leg injury or trauma

Heredity is the No 1 contributing factor that causes varicose and spider veins. Up to 55% of South African women may be affected in their lifetime.
Hormonal factors seen during puberty, pregnancy, menopause, and the use of birth control pills, affect the disease. It is common for varicose veins to become more prominent during pregnancy and worsen with successive pregnancies.

Chronic Venous Insufficiency (CVI) is caused by long-term blood pressure, in the leg veins, that is higher than normal.
Phlebitis (inflammation of a vein) and Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT) might lead to CVI.

 

Varicose Veins and Spider Veins – What is the Difference?

While varicose veins and spider veins have the same cause, there are differences between them:

Varicose veins are twisted, bulging blue blood vessels that can be seen and felt right under the surface of the skin.

  • They can cause a feeling of heaviness, discomfort or swelling in the legs.
  • Rarely, they can lead to more serious health conditions such as non-healing sores and/or blood clots.
  • Treatment may be necessary to prevent varicose veins from worsening and to improve how the legs look and feel.

Spider veins appear as tiny red or blue lines, usually less than 1 mm in diameter, that look like branches or a spider web just below the surface of your skin.

  • They’re almost always painless, do not cause leg swelling and generally do not lead to other health problems.
  • The cause of spider veins is not always leaky one-way valves in the veins, they can be caused by different forms of venous insuffiency.
  • While someone can have both varicose veins and spider veins, it’s important to point out that spider veins do not always turn into varicose veins.
  • Treatment of spider veins alone is usually considered cosmetic.

Factors that can increase the risk of CVI include:

  • Family History
  • Being Overweight
  • Pregnancy

  • Lack of Exercise
  • Smoking
  • Standing for Too Long

  • Change in Hormone Levels
  • Sitting for Too Long
  • Old Age

Varicose Veins and Spider Veins: What You Need to Know

Varicose veins are a common manifestation of chronic venous disease and are believed to result from
abnormal distensibility of connective tissue in the venous wall.

  1. They’re common –About 50 to 55 percent of women and 40 to 45 percent of men in the United States suffer from some type of vein problem. Varicose veins affect half of people 50 years and older.
  2. In the case of varicose veins, they’re not always just a cosmetic problem – they can impact how you enjoy life and can potentially lead to serious health problems.
  3. Both varicose veins and spider veins are hereditary – if you have family members with either, it’s not uncommon if you develop them as well.
  4. They can be related to body weight – if you are overweight, you’re more likely to develop them.
  5. They’re gender-related – women are more likely to develop them than men.
  6. They’re age-related – as you age, varicose and spider veins are more likely to develop.
  7. Varicose veins can develop during pregnancy – but they tend to go away within 3 months after the pregnancy.
  8. Varicose veins are thought to be hormone-related – medications containing female hormones, such as birth control or hormone replacement therapy, increase your risk of developing varicose veins.
  9. They can be job-related – if you have a job that involves sitting or standing all day, this may worsen your varicose veins. Crossing your legs can also make them worse, as this position impedes the flow of blood.]
  10. Varicose veins can cause discomfort – heaviness, tightness, pain with walking and cramps in the legs can be caused by varicose veins.
  11. A doctor may be able to easily diagnose your condition – sometimes a diagnosis can be made based on what you’re feeling and the physical appearance of your legs.
  12. Duplex ultrasound is the best way to look for varicose veins– this ultrasound imaging test uses sound waves to visualize the veins and measure blood flow.
  13. Varicose veins are typically found in the legs – but spider veins are common on both the legs and face.
  14. Over time, varicose veins can worsen and cause changes in the skin – changes might include sores that do not heal, increased leg swelling and hardening of the skin.
  15. Itchy ankles may not just be dry skin – varicose veins can cause itching around the ankles.
  16. If a varicose vein is injured, it may bleed more than you might expect – excess bleeding can be the result of the increased amount of blood that has pooled within the vein.
  17. 2-3% of people with varicose veins will develop blood clots – while rare, 25% of the time a clot forms, it can move into the deeper veins, becoming a deep vein thrombosis, a serious condition that needs immediate medical attention.ix Improving the blood flow in your legs now may help you avoid getting blood clots.
  18. If you develop pain, redness or swelling around a varicose vein, or if you have a sore that is not healing – you should make an appointment to see your doctor.
  19. Lifestyle changes may help – committing to changes in your daily life such as losing weight and elevating your legs, as well as avoiding sitting or standing for long periods of time, may improve your symptoms.
  20. Compression stockings might help – these special knee- or thigh-high stockings are made of elastic and compress the leg. They are often the first treatment for varicose veins.
  21. If lifestyle changes and compression stockings don’t help your symptoms, there are other options – some varicose vein treatments that can relieve symptoms and improve the look of your legs may include minimally invasive procedures, such as endovenous ablation, sclerotherapy or microphlebectomy. Or, there are more invasive options like vein ligation and stripping surgery, which involve tying off the veins and removing them.

CHANGES IN THE SUPERFICIAL AND DEEP VEINS

Veins from patients with varicose veins have different elastic properties than those individuals without varicose veins.

Primary varicose veins result from venous dilatation and/or valve damage without previous deep venous thrombosis. Secondary varicose veins are the consequences of deep vein thrombosis or less commonly superficial vein thrombosis.

Approximately 30% of patients with deep venous reflux, shown by imaging, appear to have primary valvular incompetence rather than detectable post-thrombotic damage.

Varicose veins may also be caused by pelvic vein reflux in the absence of incompetence at the
saphenofemoral junction, or perforating veins of the calf or thigh. Retrograde reflux in ovarian, pelvic, vulvar, pudendal or gluteal veins may be also associated with clinical symptoms and signs of pelvic congestion.

Following deep venous thrombosis, spontaneous lysis over days or weeks and recanalization over days or months or years can be observed in 50% to 80% of patients. Inadequate recanalization following deep venous thrombosis can lead to outflow obstruction.

Most post-thrombotic symptoms result from venous hypertension due to valvular incompetence, outflow obstruction or a combination of both. Venous hypertension increases transmural pressure in post-capillary vessels, leading to damage of skin capillaries and increased microvascular permeability, followed by lipodermatosclerosis and, ultimately, ulceration.

The prevalence of post-thrombotic syndrome following deep venous thrombosis have a wide variation (35% to 70% at 3 years and 50 to 100% at 5 to 10 years). Patients with chronic obstruction and reflux have the highest incidence of skin changes and ulceration.

Patients with proximal deep venous thrombosis have less post-thrombotic skin changes and/or ulceration and these occur less frequently (4% to 8% in 5 years) with adequate anticoagulation, early mobilization, and long-term compression therapy.

The dysfunction of calf muscles may enhance the development of leg ulceration suggesting the importance of the range of ankle movement and patient activity.

MAKE A QUICK INQUIRY

Our expert team are supportive, experienced and offer quality care before, during and after your procedure. If you have a quick question please use the form below.

What our patients say

I had a blood clot and then a big vein developed – you could see it on my leg. Then this vein popped and it made a very big deep ulcer and it would not heal. I went from doctor to doctor, and they couldn’t help me. I would have lost my leg, but thanks to Dr van Wyk, my life has changed. Cornelia
After 36 years, then thirty procedures, I heard about Dr van Wyk from a supplier and had an appointment with him. I can say that my legs have all healed, and I can only rejoice and be thankful for the care I received from Dr van Wyk at #Vein Solutions! NO MORE PAIN! JOHAN
I am an 82 year old female patient with severe swelling of right leg, and venous ulcers. Duplex Dopplers show venous reflux. Radio frequency was done, as well as lymph drainage by a Sequential Circulator. The results from Dr. G Van Wyk was #Amazing! Linique

Frequently Asked Questions

What happens at the first consultation?

One of our specialists will assess your medical history and perform a clinical examination of your areas of concern. Clinical photographs of these areas of concern will also need to be obtained for your medical file.

However, clinical examination alone is insufficient, to accurately ‘map out the problem veins’ so patients will also require a duplex ultrasound scan on the legs.

Does the procedure hurt?

The amount of discomfort felt will vary with the individual. The needles used are extremely fine (similar to acupuncture needles) and many are hardly felt at all. The injected solution can sting slightly for short periods of time. If EVLA is used, then minimal discomfort is experienced as it is performed under local anesthetic.

How many treatments will I require?

Your treatment protocol, which includes the number of treatments required, will be determined at your first consultation.

Will vein treatment interfere with my work or home duties?

This is a walk-in, walk-out procedure. Most treatments take about 30 minutes to perform. Following treatment, your daily routine should not be disrupted, normal duties can be resumed.

Does vein treatment require a stay in hospital?

No hospital admission is necessary for our leg vein treatments. Sclerotherapy, ultrasound guided sclerotherapy, endovenous laser ablation, VenaSeal vein glue, etc – all these procedures are performed in clinic.

What are the costs of treatment?

The expected cost for treatment varies between individuals and will be provided in writing following your assessment. All payments are to be made on the day of review/treatment, either by medical aid (medical aid rates – and covered by most medical aids or by cash, eft/pos, credit card or cheque.

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