What are Spider Veins

what are spider vein With a diameter of less than 1 mm, spider veins are the miniature versions of varicose veins.

The dilated, small veins lie within the skin and not beneath it like the large varicose veins.

For this reason, the spider veins can be seen shimmering clearly through the skin, particularly in fair-skinned people.

They can be found anywhere on the leg, but appear particularly frequently on the outer side of the lower leg and thigh and the inner side of the knee.

Spider veins may be bluish or reddish-purple in color and have a dotted, stripy, fan-shaped, or star-like (starbursts) appearance.

They may occur singly or in clusters and, in the worst cases, extend over a relatively large area on the leg.

Spider veins are usually considered to be purely an aesthetic problem, but they may be the first visible sign of venous insufficiency that will become worse with time.

Pronounced spider veins may cause symptoms and may indicate that larger varicose veins are already present and possibly even be the cause of the spider veins.

Spider veins may occur on their own or together with large varicose veins. Spider veins may also be very pronounced: in the case below,

the spider veins are due to a diseased perforating vein(perforator) connecting the systems. This vein also needs to be treated as it is supplying the spider veins with blood.

A particularly severe form of spider veins on the foot is called corona phlebectatica. These spider veins are considered to be an early sign of advanced vein disease.

A person with this condition should see a doctor without delay.