Spider Veins: How It Works, Explained Simply

Video Transcript

Spider veins are tiny, widened blood vessels that sit just beneath the surface of the skin. They appear as fine red, blue or purple lines that branch out in a web-like pattern, most often on the legs and the face. They are very small, usually less than a millimetre across, and they lie in the upper layer of the skin. That makes them far smaller and far shallower than varicose veins, which are large, raised and rope-like. Between the two sit reticular veins: flat, blue-green vessels a little deeper down, which often feed clusters of spider veins. They form when the walls of these small vessels weaken and widen, allowing more blood to collect where it can be seen. Family history, age, pregnancy, hormonal changes, long hours standing, and sun exposure on the face all contribute. Sometimes spider veins on the leg are a surface sign of a larger vein underneath that is not working properly, so an assessment may look deeper than the skin. They can be treated, commonly with sclerotherapy, or with laser for very fine vessels. Several sessions are often needed. This video is for general education only. It is not medical advice. Ask your doctor what's right for you.