Telangiectasia, commonly called spider veins, are tiny (0.1mm to 1mm) vessels that can appear anywhere on the body. They are most commonly found on the face and lower extremities.
Spider veins can occur due to numerous factors including genetics, hormonal influences (estrogen & progesterone), pregnancies, injury and more significantly, an underlying issue with lower extremity superficial vein valve incompetence. Vein disease is extremely common: about half the population has some sort of vein issue during the course of their lifetime.
The role of veins, in general, is to return blood flow back to the heart. In the lower extremities, the challenge is to do so against the force of gravity. Fortunately, we have an ingenious system to accomplish this: a calf muscle “pump” that acts as a peripheral heart. The contraction of the calf muscle generates the force to propel blood that is in the leg veins upward. What keeps the blood that has been moved upward from passively pooling back in the legs are one-way valves within lower extremity veins. If the valves malfunction, one-way valves can, unfortunately, become two-way and allow blood to flow downward with gravity.
As blood pools, pressure builds up (venous hypertension). This excessive pressure leads to veins becoming enlarged, tortuous, and more apparent at the skin surface. Reticular veins (1mm-3mm) are bluish-appearing veins that are often thought of as “feeder” veins that may underlie and lead to tinier spider veins at the surface.
The key is to consult with Dr. Rosen to determine the best course of action to take to diagnose and treat your particular vein issues.
