Most Common Causes of Spider Veins

Have you ever wondered why some people seem to have a preponderance of spider veins on their legs, and sometimes on their faces, while other people have skin that is silky smooth and blemish-free? Often called varicose veins, spider veins are those little red broken capillaries just under the skin that branch out in all directions. Even though they do not typically pose any serious risks, they are extremely unsightly and this is why most people simply want to know if there are any treatments for broken capillaries that really work.

1) Pregnancy

There are a few reasons why those tiny capillaries tend to break during pregnancy, but the most common cause is an imbalance in hormones that is common among pregnant women. Sudden spikes in estrogen and progesterone are a known factor in causing those ultra-tiny veins to burst, and while they can be treated by medical professionals after the baby is born, the best advice during pregnancy is to avoid standing for prolonged periods of time on your feet and to keep your feet elevated while at rest.

2) Damage to the Legs

Another very common cause of broken capillaries is damage to the legs. When bruising clears away, many people notice that those wiry red spider veins never seem to heal and, in fact, tend to get worse over time. Damage to the legs is common, especially in people who are quite active and spend extended lengths of time on their feet.

3) Genetics

Just as heart disease can be hereditary in many cases, so too are biological factors that contribute to varicose veins. While treatments are often the same, medical science is still seeking to identify markers that indicate a proclivity towards getting varicose veins. Perhaps someday in the future science will be able to engineer a person’s DNA so that no one will ever need to suffer these unsightly red spider veins, but at the moment, treatments are available only after they surface.

4) Damage to the Skin on the Face

What is the first thing you think of when you see someone with all those little red veins spidering out across their face? Sometimes you automatically assume they are a heavy drinker as alcoholism is a known contributor to broken capillaries on the face. But often those red blotches are the result of skin that has been damaged, often by prolonged exposure to the sun. Age is also a contributor to damaged skin on the face as it loses its elasticity with age and is more easily bruised and damaged.

5) Circulatory Problems

There are quite a few reasons why a person would have problems with circulation but since those capillaries carry blood back and forth between veins and arteries, any problem with circulation could cause those tiny vessels to burst. Heart and kidney diseases often create problems with a person’s circulation and spider veins could be indicative of some serious underlying condition that caused those broken capillaries to surface in the first place.

These are just the five most common causes of broken capillaries and while there are other known causes, the one thing that most people want to know is whether or not those spider veins can lead to more serious conditions. Actually, it can be the reverse. The onset of broken capillaries may be indicative of some more serious underlying medical condition but there are no known serious medical problems that actually result from spider veins. Therefore, treatment is cosmetic, but it’s a guarantee that once you look better, you feel better. And that, alone, is reason enough to seek treatment.