Symptoms, causes, and prevention of spider veins.
Why you might need spider veins treatment, Singapore.
WHAT ARE SPIDER VEINS?
Spider veins are a milder and less severe form of varicose veins, and they tend to appear on the feet as well as on the face. They occur when the valves in the veins weaken and the blood backflows, pooling in the veins, stretching them and causing these veins to be visible from the surface of the skin. As the name suggests, spider veins form a web-like network and are either red or blue in color.
As compared to varicose veins, spider veins are much smaller and thinner, they do not bulge out of the skin as much and are found closer to the surface of the skin.
Spider veins alone are not a cause for concern, but they could hint at an underlying vascular condition or poor circulation, which could potentially have more serious consequences. If you notice any other symptoms or areas of discomfort that affect your quality of life, do seek professional medical help at a veins centre, Singapore.
SYMPTOMS
Most of the time, you will not experience any discomfort or pain from spider veins, and receiving treatment for them at a vein clinic, Singapore, is usually for cosmetic purposes. However, there are exceptions to this, and if you notice any of the following symptoms, do consider seeing a specialist for further evaluation as you may have more severe underlying complications:
● Pain around the enlarged veins
● Throbbing in the area of the veins
● Feeling of heaviness in the legs
● Tingling sensation around the veins
● Discoloration of the skin of the leg
● Itchiness in the area of the veins
● Visible network of veins very close to the surface of the skin.
If you realize that you identify with any of the symptoms above, you may want to consider receiving spider veins treatment, Singapore. A veins centre Singapore or a vein clinic Singapore will be able to advise you on the most suitable course of action to treat your condition.
CAUSES [3]
● Standing for long periods of time: When you are standing up, gravity works against your circulatory system, and it becomes harder to pump the blood from your legs back up to your heart. While this is manageable for your body for a short period of time, prolonging the time you spend in one position makes it difficult for your blood to flow properly. Blood will therefore tend to accumulate in the lower part of your body, and this could slowly weaken or damage the veins there, leading to spider veins or varicose veins on a larger scale.
● Heredity/Family history: With certain genotypes (genetic makeup of a person), a person could be more prone to vascular conditions, and the veins, as well as their valves, may already be weaker than usual upon birth. If your family members have had a history of spider veins and varicose veins, you may be at high risk for these conditions as well. So if your family member has visited a vein clinic Singapore, it may be worth putting in greater effort to prevent spider veins.
● Trauma/injury: In some cases, when you have experienced an injury in your leg, the valves of the veins very close to the surface may be damaged by the impact. Damaging the valves of the veins has the same effect as the gradual weakening of the valves, where blood no longer flows in one direction smoothly and begins to pool in the veins. Hence, it is possible for a leg injury to lead to spider veins or varicose veins.
● Fluctuations in hormone level: This is more applicable for women, as the female hormones oestrogen and progesterone cause the dilation of blood vessels. When the levels of these two hormones increase, the veins dilate, stretching the valves outward and allowing the backflow of blood away from the heart. [3] This can cause spider veins to form.
RISK FACTORS
● Obesity: Excess fats press on and place pressure on your blood vessels. This increases the blood pressure in your veins and it may exceed what your veins are able to withstand. Over time, the valves are not able to ensure the one-way flow of blood through the veins, and spider veins begin forming.
● Pregnancy: During pregnancy, the levels of oestrogen and progesterone increase sharply, and as mentioned above, they stimulate the dilation of the blood vessels that allows blood to accumulate. Additionally, the amount of blood in your vascular system increases as well, to support the development of the baby, and the greater amount of blood places further strain on the veins. The baby itself could place weight and pressure on the blood vessels in the leg, which then increases the risk of spider veins. [3]
● Menopause: At the time of menopause, there are also sudden fluctuations in oestrogen and progesterone levels. Therefore, menopause can make the formation of spider veins more likely the same way that pregnancy causes this.
● Being above 50 in age: A common observation is that spider veins seem to be a natural part of ageing. This is because the walls of your veins become less elastic over time and the valves of the veins become naturally weaker, increasing the risk of both spider veins and varicose veins. However, spider veins can affect you even when you are young.
If you fall under the category of some of these risk factors, you may want to be more conscientious of your daily activities and do your best to avoid developing spider veins or varicose veins. Although it is not possible to completely prevent this condition, there are ways you can minimize your risk. Find out more in this article. [Spider veins removal, Singapore]
However, if you do have spider veins and are looking for spider veins treatment, Singapore Vascular and Interventional Centre is here for you. We are a veins centre Singapore, and our in-house specialists are extremely experienced in treating spider and varicose veins.
We are located in Novena Specialist Centre, at 8 Sinaran Dr, #06-08 Specialist Centre, Singapore 307470. Feel free to book an appointment and drop by for a consultation! Contact details can be found below:
6694 6270 (Call)
9898 3595 (WhatsApp)
en*****@sg***********.com (Email)
