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What is the difference between varicose veins and spider veins?
At La Jolla Vein and Vascular, we treat numerous patients with varicose veins and spider veins. Knowing the difference is important.
Varicose veins are the twisted, bulging veins just beneath the surface of the skin. Varicose veins are swollen, twisted veins that you can see just under the surface of the skin. These veins usually occur in the legs, but they also can form in other parts of the body. Varicose veins are a common condition.
What causes varicose veins?
Varicose veins are caused by leaky vein valves, which allow blood to pool within the veins causing them to stretch and become enlarged. Varicose veins can be an isolated finding, but the majority of the time, they are caused by underlying venous reflux disease. Venous reflux disease is also known as venous stasis, venous insufficiency or venous incompetence. Reflux may occur in the deep and/or superficial leg veins.
In our study, led by Dr. Nisha Bunke and published in the Journal of Vascular Ultrasound in 2018, we studied over 1,000 legs with varicose veins. Over 90% of the time, the source of the varicose veins were the great and small saphenous veins. The Great Saphenous Vein (GSV) courses up the middle of the thigh and calf and the small saphenous vein (SSV), which courses along the back of the calf. Normally, there are one-way valves within the leg veins, which help blood flow in one direction: toward the heart. This means blood is traveling against gravity. The calf muscle also helps move blood toward the heart. When vein valves are leaky, blood flows backward (reflux) towards the feet. Blood pools in the lower legs, causing bulging veins at the surface.
Varicose (VAR-i-kos) veins are enlarged veins that can be blue, red, or flesh-colored. They often look like cords and appear twisted and bulging. They can be swollen and raised above the surface of the skin. Varicose veins are often found on the thighs, backs of the calves, or the inside of the leg. During pregnancy, varicose veins can form around the vagina and buttocks.
What are spider veins?
Spider veins are the fine, thread-like reddish veins at the surface of the skin. Spider veins are not healthy. Spider veins are often considered a cosmetic issue, but they can be associated with underlying feeder veins, not visible to the naked eye. Feeder veins are the ‘blue veins’ also known as ‘reticular veins,’ that give rise to spider veins. Spider veins may also be a sign of underlying venous insufficiency. For example, spider veins located in the inner ankles and inner thighs can indicate an underlying problem with the saphenous vein. As a result, an ultrasound examination may be recommended to identify and effectively treat the underlying source of the spider veins.
What are the symptoms?
Vein conditions affect people differently. For some, spider veins can be a painless cosmetic concern, and for others they may cause symptoms. The most common symptoms of spider veins are burning, throbbing, and localized pain. They can also feel hot and itchy and bleed.
What causes spider veins?
Spider veins in the legs are caused by the same condition that causes varicose veins. Leaky vein valves allow blood to pool within the veins causing them to stretch and become enlarged. They are on other areas of the body, such as the face, and chest can be caused by sun damage, hormone changes or liver disease. Hormones, such as with pregnancy, birth control or hormone replacement therapy can weaken the vein wall.
They are like varicose veins but smaller. Often, they are red or blue. They can look like tree branches or spiderwebs with their short, jagged lines. This patient had large clusters of bluish colored spider veins around the knee.
If you experience any vein disease symptoms, please call our office at (858)-550-0330 to schedule a consultation with one of our knowledgeable doctors at La Jolla Vein and Vascular.
For more information on vein health please check out our Youtube Channel or visit our helpful guide of resources.
