The appearance of spider veins on the legs can go unnoticed for a long time. Usually the patient does not attach importance to this symptom until the red-violet “mesh” becomes very noticeable. This defect is called telangiectasia. This brings a lot of inconvenience, especially to women, on whose delicate, thin skin even slight darkening becomes noticeable. But the main danger does not lie in a cosmetic defect. Telangiectasia often indicates the onset of the development of a more serious disease – varicose veins.
Vessels are visible on the legs: reasons
If capillaries become visible on the legs, arms and face, then various reasons can contribute to this, from frivolous to very alarming.
When the capillaries begin to expand and burst on the face, this phenomenon is called rosacea. It can occur after exposure to tanning lamps, professional cleansing and steaming of the face, or may be a consequence of intense physical activity. A capillary on the hand can burst for the same reasons, as well as due to a lack of vitamins, an allergic skin reaction, long-term illnesses and infections.
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All categories of patients can experience the symptom, regardless of age and gender.
Why have veins and small blood vessels become very visible on the legs of a child and an adult? According to statistics, veins and capillaries on the legs of men and children do not appear as often as in women. This happens because there are more provoking factors for veins to appear on the legs in women than in other categories of patients.
Many women note that the vessels on their legs became visible only during pregnancy. Indeed, stars on the legs appear under the influence of changes in hormonal levels. During the 9 months of pregnancy and the first time after childbirth, a woman experiences a hormonal surge that affects the tone of the vascular walls. Losing their elasticity, they become thinner and burst. A weakened vessel can also appear during childbirth, due to excessive straining. Also, on the eve of menstruation and during menopause, the number of veins in women increases. Hormonal therapy with estrogen or progesterone also poses a danger to capillaries. It, like taking contraceptive medications, causes a decrease in the tone of their walls.
Expert opinion
Of particular importance is the factor of hereditary predisposition to weakness of the vascular wall. The tendency for blood vessels to appear on the legs can be transmitted not only from parents to children, but also determined through generations when interacting with environmental factors of varying strength. Deformation of the walls of the vessels of the capillary network occurs and tortuous telangiectasias begin to appear on the skin.
Vascular surgeon, phlebologist
Osipova Ekaterina Yakovlevna
Trauma is a factor that provokes expansion and rupture of capillaries. Traumatic effects (sprain, bruise, fracture, etc.) violate the integrity of the capillaries. Inflammatory edema is formed and due to the release of blood plasma from the capillaries, a bruise is formed.
According to the International Classification, capillary stars on the legs are classified as chronic venous diseases. And one of the reasons why vessels become visible is diseases that provoke chronic venous insufficiency (CVI) and varicose veins. This includes obesity, etc. Note that a person’s lifestyle also has a direct impact on the development of CVI and varicose veins. If he experiences static and heavy physical activity for a long time, is inactive and has bad habits, then subsequently the calves and thighs, and maybe the entire surface of the legs, will become vulnerable to the manifestations of veins.
Uncomfortable shoes are one of the reasons for the appearance of blood vessels on the legs
Secondary factors influencing the expansion of vein walls include uncomfortable clothing, shoes and their elements. Clothes and shoes that are considered unsafe for vein health are:
- made from unnatural, low-quality materials;
- have compressive decorative and functional elements;
- smaller than necessary.
There are many reasons for the appearance of blood vessels on the legs. And if initially a person may only be bothered by their external manifestation, then if the cause or provoking factor is not eliminated, the symptoms will increase. Therefore, it is very important to make a timely visit to the doctor in order to diagnose the problem and maintain health.
Expert opinion
Separately, it is worth mentioning cases of increased vascular patterns on the legs and other parts of the body in infants. This phenomenon usually causes obvious concern among parents. However, the so-called marbled skin in newborns is quite common. It usually goes away on its own by six months of age.
Vascular surgeon, phlebologist
Osipova Ekaterina Yakovlevna
Causes
A seemingly harmless network of capillaries is an alarming signal. The symptom indicates poor blood flow, due to which the skin gradually loses its tone. The vessels themselves become deformed, which subsequently causes the veins to dilate. It is possible to eliminate the problem cosmetically, but it is important to find out the cause in order to prevent the development of a more serious illness. Doctors identify several provoking factors:
- Weakness of connective tissue. Spider veins are a prime example of a disease that is inherited. You can avoid this unpleasant symptom by visiting the clinic in a timely manner.
- Age-related changes. Telangiectasia most often worries women over the age of 30. This is largely due to a decrease in skin elasticity and loss of vascular tone. The emphasis is on women and girls, but this does not mean that the disease does not bother men. The latter should also be careful about the appearance of the mesh pattern.
- Disturbances of the endocrine system. Thyroid diseases or natural hormonal changes lead to unpleasant consequences. This is especially typical for the female body, which has a more complex hormonally structure. Having a child, abortion, pregnancy, menopause, or taking certain contraceptives are risk factors.
- Causes of spider veins and varicose veins.
- Physical impact. First of all, we are talking about hard physical labor, professional sports, and excess weight (obesity). All these factors equally contribute to the formation of spider veins on the legs.
The listed provoking factors are the main ones. Other reasons for the appearance of spider veins on the legs include skin injuries caused by peeling or frostbite, a sedentary lifestyle, regular wearing of high-heeled shoes, chronic diseases of the endocrine or circulatory system.
Vessels on the legs: treatment
On the way to solving the problem that has arisen, the first thing a person who has visible capillaries on his legs faces is which doctor should he contact? If you discover such a symptom, you should consult a therapist. When a patient has visible vessels on his legs, the doctor must first determine the causes, and only then prescribe treatment. Therefore, the specialist will first of all collect an anamnesis of the disease, examine and palpate the legs, and also identify current risk factors. Based on the physical diagnosis, the doctor will draw up a plan for the examination (laboratory and instrumental) that the patient will need to undergo to clarify the diagnosis. By decision of the therapist, a referral may be issued for a consultation with a phlebologist or angiosurgeon, who, when identifying diseases of the vascular system, will draw up a treatment and prevention regimen. Based on the examination results, specialists can prescribe conservative and surgical treatment.
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The choice of methods will be based primarily on the general health of the patient and the characteristics of the course of the disease that caused the appearance of the capillary mesh.
Conservative therapy will include a various set of measures to restore the elasticity of capillaries and the permeability of their membranes. It is necessary to influence the problem in a comprehensive manner, so a specialist can combine methods and methods of treatment. The main methods of conservative therapy include:
- drug treatment;
- use of external products;
- physiotherapeutic procedures;
- wearing medical compression stockings.
Compression hosiery prevents the appearance of blood vessels on the legs.
Treatment with medications involves taking medications and vitamin complexes that can improve blood rheology, have an antiplatelet effect, increase elasticity and reduce capillary fragility. For the same purposes, a specialist may prescribe the use of products for external use: gels, creams and other products applied to problem areas of the skin. Not all forms of funds are equally convenient to use. The ointment has a viscous, fat-based consistency and is not completely absorbed, remaining on the skin and staining clothes and underwear. This is a significant drawback, in particular because when wearing compression hosiery, its fibers will be destroyed, and the product will quickly become unusable. In this regard, for external use it is preferable to use water-fat or water-based products. "NORMAVEN®" foot cream has a light texture that allows it to spread well over the skin and be quickly absorbed without leaving any traces. The product has a natural composition, which was developed by specialists from the pharmaceutical company VERTEX. It contains extracts of lingonberry, horse chestnut, ginkgo biloba, lemon oil and vitamin C. All of them actively affect the endothelial cells of capillaries. Like other products in the NORMAVEN® series, foot cream has all the necessary documents and certificates authorizing its use. Clinical studies conducted at the State Health Care Institution “City Clinic No. 49”, in the antenatal clinic No. 12, proved that regular use of the cream for 3 months can achieve a significant improvement in the condition of the veins in the legs - in particular, there is a decrease in the severity of the vascular pattern.
Treatment of spider veins on the legs
How else can you remove small blood vessels on your legs? Performing physical procedures such as a set of therapeutic exercises, self-massage and contrast showers can affect a speedy recovery and restoration of the affected capillary walls. In addition, a specialist can prescribe a course of procedures such as laser therapy, electrophoresis, pressotherapy, etc.
If small vessels are visible on the legs, then radical therapy can be used to eliminate them. Her hardware methods are varied, but all are minimally invasive. What will they do? It depends on what type of procedure the doctor recommends:
- During ozone therapy, the affected capillaries are oxidized with medical ozone, and nearby ones are enriched with oxygen;
- During the process of thermocoagulation, thermal effects are exerted by high-frequency currents and the walls of the capillaries are “sealed”;
- The microsclerotherapy method causes “gluing” of the capillary walls with a special sclerosant substance;
- The principle of laser coagulation is the destructive effect of a directed beam of light waves on damaged capillaries.
Laser coagulation of blood vessels on the legs
Each method has features, contraindications and possible side effects. As a result, the doctor will approach the choice of the optimal procedure for the patient individually.
Vessels are visible on the legs: treatment with folk remedies
In complex therapy of leg veins, the use of alternative medicine recipes can also be effective. When the vessels of the lower extremities are visible, they can reduce the severity of this manifestation and even alleviate the accompanying symptoms.
To ensure that the vessels on the legs are no longer visible, you can use tinctures and decoctions to prepare food additives, rubs, compresses and homemade ointments. The ingredients are various plants, fruits, vegetables and other natural products that have healing properties. But it is better not to experiment or self-medicate, and be sure to discuss the possibility of using any folk recipe with your doctor.
Cosmetics for spider veins on the legs
If you can start using various types of decorative cosmetics to disguise the vascular network on your face, then if a similar flaw occurs on your legs, you often have to change your wardrobe and refrain from short dresses, skirts, and shorts. This approach is not considered correct, since noticeable blood vessels can be successfully eliminated by using cosmetics that act on the veins, which can strengthen their walls and also normalize blood flow.
We must not forget that such remedies are not considered a panacea, and if there are large vascular networks, then it is necessary to combine various methods. This will correct the problem not temporarily, but normalize the condition of the blood vessels and prevent the progression of complications.
Video: Treatment of varicose veins, small veins on the legs
is not responsible for the accuracy of the information presented in this video clip. Source - Dustin Clary
Sources:
- SYNDROME OF MACROCEPHALY - MARBLE SKIN AND TELEANGIECTASIA. Meshcheryakova T.I., Narogan M.V., Zhilina S.S., Toropchina L.V., Mutovin G.R. // Russian Bulletin of Perinatology and Pediatrics. – 2011. – No. 6. – pp. 74-79.
- GENERALIZED ESSENTIAL TELEANGIECTASIA. Slavin D.A., Shakirova A.Z. // Chief physician of the South of Russia. – 2013. – No. 5 (36). – pp. 39-40.
- POSSIBILITIES FOR DIAGNOSIS AND TREATMENT OF CHRONIC DISEASES OF THE VEINS OF THE LOWER LIMB. Zhane A.K., Zhane Ad. K., Napso H.R., Zhane T.I., Pichugin A.G. // Kuban Scientific Medical Bulletin. – 2010. – No. 9 (123). – pp. 78-84.
- https://www.self.com/story/spider-and-varicose-veins
- https://en.dermatim.net/general-dermatology/enlarged-capillaries/
- https://www.livestrong.com/article/271008-causes-of-broken-capillaries-in-the-legs/
For an accurate diagnosis, contact a specialist.
