What Causes Spider Veins?

Spider veins occur when the veins within the body become enlarged and look red, blue or purple in colour. These look like spider webs. Hence, the name. These veins are often found on the legs and face, but could also be found throughout the body. These enlarged blood vessels are common in both women and men and usually increase with age.

Spider veins have a nasty habit of developing with time. Spider veins are damaged veins which are elongated and twisted when there is an excessive amount of pressure put on the veins. Once damaged, the blood which used to flow easily throughout the veins is trapped, causing swelling of the vein.

This swelling is what may be seen on the surface area of the skin. Spider veins can sometimes cause swelling, restless legs and throbbing. Spider veins result from a number of factors.

With the stretching of the skin during pregnancy, veins are elongated to adapt to the new infant. This may cause the veins to enlarge due to the pressure put on them. Sometimes the veins may disappear after the infant is born, yet this is not always the case.

Standing and sitting for a comprehensive period of time may increase the formation of spider veins. Taking a break from sitting or standing for long time periods can help to reduce the pressure on the veins.

It can be genetic. Lots of women start suffering from spider veins since their mother or other female relatives have spider veins.

Some researchers have connected low-fibre diets with the growth of spider veins. When the body lacks fibre, the colon becomes heavy and puts pressure on the veins throughout the body.

Spider veins also develop when the vein walls are weak. Weak vein walls cause the veins to stretch. These veins are then damaged to the extent where they can no longer function correctly. The great news is that these damaged veins may be treated to reduce their appearance on the surface area of the skin.