Varicose Veins vs Spider Veins - What is the Difference?
Believe it or not, superficial veins can appear under your skin in injuries or medical conditions. They are categorized as varicose or spider veins, which can develop a severe condition if left untreated. The former usually appears raised and looks like a branch of veins.
While they appear similar at a glance, they are somewhat different issues despite being the same. Moreover, we recommend you visit a medical professional to get it diagnosed. That said, it is important to have some prior knowledge about varicose veins vs spider veins treatment, including their minimally invasive procedures, which are covered in the following section.
What Are Varicose Veins?
As mentioned, swollen and raised veins with twisted structures are identified as varicose veins, which appear when blood vessels malfunction. You can commonly find them on your legs, but they also have the possibility of appearing in any part of the body. The condition can become severe without proper varicose vein treatment, leading to life-threatening situations.
What Are Spider Veins?
The spider veins, on the other hand, appear as blue and red colored blood vessels underneath your skin, forming a web-like structure. The condition is purely cosmetic and appears due to damaged veins directly affecting the capillaries. Similar to the varicose vein, the spider veins are visible on the leg.
How are varicose veins vs spider veins alike?
As mentioned previously, the cause of both vein problems is the same. In fact, they have a similar appearance as they bulge out from underneath your skin. It happens when blood vessels are dilated due to weakened vein walls and valves.
As a result, blood circulation is heavily affected, and the enlargement appears due to blood accumulation.
The following are a few risk factors that contribute to the development of spider veins and varicose veins:
- Pregnancy or menopause, which increases hormonal imbalance
- Precious blood clots
- Obesity
- Postmenopausal hormone replacement
- Heredity
- Prolonged standing
- Increased abdomen pressure
- Constipation
Varicose Veins vs Spider Veins –What are the differences?
While the cause of the vein condition might be the same, they share quite a few differences. Before you consult a doctor, go through the section below to obtain a brief understanding of the problem.
- Regarding their appearance, the varicose veins appear raised and can be felt vividly from the top of the skin. whereas Spider veins appear as red and blue lines underneath the skin.
- Another major difference is in their symptoms. While varicose veins can be painful, spider veins barely cause pain. The former can also swell up, causing discomfort.
- Varicose veins are medical conditions that can turn into a life-threatening problem when left untreated. On the other hand, spider veins are a cosmetic problem.
If any superficial veins appear in your body, make sure to get yourself properly diagnosed as early as possible to treat the condition with minimally invasive procedures.
What are the Treatment Options for Spider Veins and Varicose Veins?
Finally, spider veins and varicose vein treatment options are laid out in the following list:
- EVLT Laser Ablation: Endovenous laser treatment is used for varicose vein treatment, after using a local anesthetic in the targeted area. It disrupts the vein wall, enabling a smooth flow of blood to adjacent veins, which gets further absorbed by the body.
- Radiofrequency Ablation: It is one of the minimally invasive procedures where heat is generated via radiofrequency energy, which reduces the appearance of the varicose veins.
- Sclerotherapy: Effective on both Spider Veins and Varicose Veins, the treatment begins with an irritant, injected directly into your veins. It treats any form of bulge, relieving the person from pain.
- Ambulatory Phlebectomy: When a large portion of the leg veins appears as a bulge, medical professionals will remove it after creating a tiny incision in the area.
Contact us at Karishma Vein if you are suffering from any vein-related problems. We are dedicated to helping our patients keep their veins healthy. Coupled with a team of expert medical professionals, we will help you get the proper treatment for your condition and know the varicose veins vs spider veins differences.
