Spider veins are venous conditions wherein small purple and blue superficial veins appear on the skin’s surface. These veins take on a purple hue due to the blood pools formed in them as a result of vein malfunction and poor blood circulation in the area. While spider veins are a common skin condition experienced by most adults, there are varying reasons for their formation.
So what does it mean when you develop spider veins? The short answer is it means the veins in that area of your body aren’t circulating blood properly. When veins don’t function as they need blood clots and blood pools from making the vein more prominent on your skin. Your veins could be malfunctioning for a variety of reasons including age, lifestyle, weight, and genetics all of which play a part in your development of spider veins.
Learn More: How Many Laser Treatments Are Needed to Remove Spider Veins?
What Does It Mean When You Develop Spider Veins?
When you develop spider veins, it means that blood flow in your blood vessels is subpar. Due to the extra blood from that area not being able to flow back to your heart, it remains in that area forming clots and causing pools of blood in them. While these vein issues that lead to spider veins can be genetic or unavoidable, there are activities and habits that result in the progression of spider veins. Here are just some of the reasons why you are developing spider veins on your body:
1) Age
As you age, it is quite normal for your veins to experience some wear and tear causing them to weaken, break, and dilate. Due to the decrease in the body’s natural healing capabilities as a result of slower turnover, damaged or broken veins also take much longer to heal and can cause the appearance of spider veins.
When your veins weaken due to age you become more susceptible to spider and varicose veins as they can no longer efficiently make the blood flow. Spider veins are one of the many signs of aging and while not always a welcomed sight on your skin, it’s not indicative of a more serious health concern.
2) Sedentary Lifestyle
It’s a known fact that not having physical activity or living a sedentary lifestyle can lead to health complications which include your veins. Sitting down for hours on end in particular can be very bad for blood flow to your legs.
When sitting for extended periods of time, the blood circulation in your legs is cut off causing excess strain on your vein valves and promoting blood pooling in the area. With most people needing to sit for most of the day due to work or school, it’s no surprise that your legs are one of the most common places where spider veins form and become visible leg veins.
In addition to this, the lack of exercise can indirectly help the development of spider veins. Spider veins are caused by weak and damaged vein walls in your body which naturally happens as you get older. However, exercise can actually help strengthen your veins and promote good blood flow.
By living a sedentary lifestyle and avoiding exercise, you may not be helping your body maintain healthy veins and prevent pre-existing spider and varicose vein conditions from getting worse.
3) Weight Gain
Spider veins may develop as a sign of rapid weight gain. When you put on extra weight, your veins are put under extra pressure when circulating blood around your body. With the extra strain and difficulty in maintaining blood pressure and circulation, it’s possible that your veins can’t properly allow the blood to travel.
This can lead to blood pools, twisted veins, or damage that will result in spider or varicose veins. However, it’s important to note that not all weight gain will lead to spider veins. In most cases, the only time this will cause spider veins is if you gain an unhealthy amount of weight outside that is outside the recommended limit for your age, height, and gender.
4) Over-Tanning and Sun Damage
While tanning has become very popular these days, the UV rays in both methods can actually cause severe damage to your skin and cause venous insufficiency. UV rays penetrate the skin and cause damage to your cells including the ones that make up your superficial and deep veins.
With excessive exposure to these rays, it’s very possible that your veins have obtained substantial damage-causing blood flow interruptions leading them to appear as spider veins on your skin.
5) Vein Conditions
In some cases, spider and varicose vein development can be genetic. If you are not aware of any existing genetic illness but can seem to pinpoint why you are developing spider veins, you may want to consult your doctor for a full physical examination to rule out a medical condition.
Conditions like hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia, Klippel-Trenaunay-Weber syndrome, and nevus flammeus can all cause vein malfunctions and cause visible veins to appear.
Read More: What’s the Easiest Way to Get Rid of Spider Veins on the Face?
How to Prevent Spider Veins from Developing
While it’s quite difficult to prevent the development of spider veins due to age and genetics, you can adopt a few habits to keep their development at bay. Here are some things you can do to keep your veins healthy and aid in the prevention of spider veins:
1) Exercise
As stated earlier, exercise can help keep your veins healthy and prevent spider veins from forming. When you exercise, you’re increasing blood circulation throughout your body which helps keep your veins in good shape. By having strong veins and blood flow, you’ll limit the chances of blood clots and pools forming in your veins and directly address the main reason behind spider veins.
While all exercise will strengthen your veins, you may also want to consider the type of exercise you engage in. High-intensity workouts may actually cause temporary twisted veins and spider veins to appear due to excessive pressure. Though these types of spider veins will fade after your workout you may want to engage in low-impact workouts like walking or swimming that will give you the same benefits without the extra pressure on your veins.
2) Use Sun Protection
While you may not be able to always avoid the sun, you can protect yourself from its harmful rays and excessive sun exposure. With the negative effect of UV rays on your veins, it’s recommended that you use an SPF of at least 30 to protect it from possible damage. Wearing sunscreen will either deflect the UV rays or absorb most of the harmful rays before they can penetrate your skin and destroy your veins and skin cells in the process.
3) Maintain a Healthy Weight
With extra weight causing your veins to exert extra effort in circulating blood, maintaining a healthy weight may help prevent spider veins from forming. Maintaining a healthy weight will also help prevent your veins from tears and overstretching which can lead to severe vein damage and blood flow disruptions. Without any excess weight, your veins can easily circulate blood, there’s a minimal chance that blood pools or twists which are the main causes of spider veins.
4) Wear Compression Stockings
Compression stockings or socks are a common treatment for spider veins. Compression therapy uses compression bandages or stockings which can be easily worn and help provide support to your weaker veins.
They’re often worn after vein stripping or other surgical treatments but have also been shown to be a good preventative habit when it comes to spider veins. With the additional support, your veins will be able to function properly and avoid the development of spider veins.
Seek Spider Vein Treatment at The Vein Center Doctor
While spider and varicose veins are often seen as cosmetic issues rather than serious health concerns, there’s no reason to deal with them especially if you don’t want to see them appearing on your skin. The best thing to do is adopt habits that can prevent them from occurring in the first place, as already formed spider veins are a little trickier to remove. If you’re suffering from these bothersome veins, The Vein Center Doctor offers an array of spider vein treatments to address any of your venous concerns. Trust our expert advice on how to prevent spider veins and enjoy our vein removal treatments for clear, smooth, and vein-free skin. Call us today to know more about services or book an appointment online.
Learn More: How Many Injections Does It Take to Get Rid of Spider Veins?
