Are Spider Veins a Health Concern?

Spider veins get their name from their appearance. When these small, damaged blood vessels are visible under your skin, they might look like a spider web. Some people also say they resemble a tree or river with many branches. 

Perhaps the name “spider veins” stuck because it best captures the biggest issue with these blood vessels: their unwelcome appearance.

If you’re unhappy with spider veins cosmetically, you might have looked into addressing them. Upon learning that they’re damaged blood vessels, you may be wondering if you have a bigger issue on your hands.

Usually, spider veins aren’t a health concern. However, they could be a sign that your body is having venous issues. 

Because we specialize in blood vessels — including treating spider veins — our team at Vascular & Interventional Associates can determine what’s going on. Whether the veins are a sign of a bigger problem or just a cosmetic inconvenience, we offer treatment at our office in Crestview Hills, Kentucky.

Understanding spider veins

Spider veins develop in small blood vessels near the surface of your skin. You can see the vein because it’s filled with pooled blood or it has been damaged in some other way. 

Fortunately, that’s not necessarily a problem. Your body has billions of other blood vessels it can use. 

That said, you shouldn't ignore your spider veins entirely. Sometimes, they’re an indicator of a condition called chronic venous insufficiency (CVI), an issue that most commonly affects the veins in your legs. 

If you’re diagnosed with CVI, it means those veins aren’t working properly. If you’ve noticed spider veins developing primarily in your legs, it’s worth seeing one of our team members about it.

What to do about spider veins

If your spider veins are a symptom of CVI, we work with you to develop a personalized treatment approach. That means implementing options that support healthier vein function, like compression stockings and medication.

Even if your spider veins aren’t the result of a larger vein issue, you might still want to get rid of them. For that, we offer sclerotherapy, the gold standard in spider vein treatment.

With this option, we inject a specialized solution into the damaged vein. That solution causes the vein to seal shut. Once blood stops flowing through the vein, your body starts the process of absorbing the now-defunct blood vessel. Over time, this helps it fade from view.

To help you achieve your ideal cosmetic outcome, we usually recommend a series of treatments — often 3-5 sessions — and wearing a compression garment on the area after each. 

Your spider veins aren’t necessarily a cause for medical concern. But if they bother you cosmetically or you want to get checked for chronic venous insufficiency, our team can help.

If you live in northern Kentucky or the Cincinnati, Ohio, area and you’re concerned about your spider veins, come in and see us. Make an appointment at Vascular & Interventional Associates today by calling our office or booking a visit online.