Most everyone has seen older people with spider veins. You may remember Uncle Fred with veins on his nose or your mother with spider veins on her legs and ankles. You might have the impression that these raised veins only happen to older people. Then one morning you wake up to find those distinctive purple squiggly lines on your own legs.
This can’t be right! You are only in your 20s! Spider veins happen to old people, not young and vibrant people like you!
Unfortunately, spider veins can appear in young and healthy individuals. They are not usually a symptom of some larger problem, just an unfortunate weakness in some of your veins.
Fortunately, although unsightly, spider veins rarely do any physical harm. They almost never cause pain or swelling and don’t need medical treatment except for cosmetic reasons.
What Causes Spider Veins?
Spider veins are small networks of veins located directly below the surface of your skin. Each of these tiny veins is there to move blood away from the area and toward the heart. When everything works the way it is supposed to, these tiny bundles of veins move the blood effectively and are never seen.
Spider veins appear as thin lines of red, blue, or purple and frequently radiate out from a central point resembling a spider web. They are most commonly seen on the legs and feet but can occur anywhere on the body. Women suffer from them more often than men. Although is not unheard of to get spider veins in your 20s, the older you get the more likely they are to appear.
Spider Vein Symptoms
In most cases, the only symptom of spider veins is the appearance of the blemishes themselves. Unlike varicose veins, a similar but more problematic ailment of the veins, spider veins rarely cause pain, itching, or swelling.
The appearance of spider veins is not usually a symptom of some other problem. Spider veins do not cause other, more serious problems. While people who develop spider veins have an increased probability of developing varicose veins, one does not cause the other.
Except for their actual appearance, spider veins are generally asymptomatic. That is why most insurance companies will not cover their removal. They see treatment as a cosmetic, not a health-related procedure.
Preventing Spider Veins
If you have begun to develop spider veins in your 20s, your first question might be whether you develop more as you age. While the appearance of one spider vein at any age does increase the chances of more appearing later, there are steps you can take to help to prevent new spider veins from forming.
- Watch your weight – being overweight puts an additional strain on your blood vessels. This may cause the valves to fail, leading to the appearance of spider veins.
- Get plenty of exercise – this will increase the blood flow in your body and reduce the chance of blood pooling in your veins. It will also help you keep your weight at a healthy level
- Eat well – diets high in potassium, flavonoids, and calcium help regulate your blood pressure, reduce water retention, and keep your vein walls strong. All of this will help prevent the formation of spider veins.
- Avoid salt – too much salt in your diet will increase water retention and may raise your blood pressure. Both can contribute to the formation of spider veins
- Avoid standing or sitting still for extended periods – both sitting and standing in one place for long periods can make it more difficult for the blood to flow properly in the legs and feet where spider veins frequently appear
- Don’t wear tight clothes – tight clothes can restrict proper blood flow
- Use sunscreen – frequent sunburn can lead to the appearance of spider veins on the nose and face
Treating Spider Veins
If you have begun to see spider veins in your 20s you may not be willing to wait and see if you can prevent future ones from appearing. You may just be interested in figuring out how to get rid of spider veins now.
Fortunately, there are several effective treatments that can decrease the visibility of spider veins or make them disappear entirely.
Some involve lasers that help to destroy the offending veins. Once the veins have been destroyed the waste is simply carried away leaving you with blemish-free skin. Other treatments use heat or chemicals to destroy the visible veins and allow them to be reabsorbed by the body.
Regardless of which method is used, in most cases, the treatment will have to be repeated multiple times to remove the appearance of spider veins entirely.
Because the veins involved are so tiny, there is usually little or no damage done to the surrounding tissue or the blood flow in the area. Patients usually report little or no pain after spider vein treatments.
Relax and Find the Best Treatment for Spider Veins
While developing spider veins in your 20s can be an upsetting experience, there is no reason for fear. The blemish itself will do you no harm. If the appearance is upsetting to you, you can have it removed.
With a healthy lifestyle and careful choices, you may be able to prevent the appearance of any more spider veins. If they show up anyway, the treatments are noninvasive and can be done in multiple locations. There is no reason you cannot have any new spider veins removed as well.
If you are looking for the best treatment for spider veins, you should contact us at Medicus Vein Care. We use a combination of the three common spider vein treatments to ensure rapid and complete results.
