The difference between spider veins and varicose veins is not only what you see but what’s underneath.
Sure, spider veins may seem cosmetic but their mere existence can also be a sign of underlying varicose veins; those you can’t see. Typically, varicose veins are seen as ropey, twisted veins on the surface and mostly on the legs. But they can also be deep within and only visible to the sonographer as they perform an ultrasound on your veins or a vein specialist used to analysing and diagnosing the signs of varicose veins.
How to know if you have spider veins
Spider veins appear as clusters of small blue or purple veins that may look broken and not connected to anything. On the face or legs. Seemingly sitting on the skin, they become more common with age and can also result from trauma. Laser treatment can heat treat these veins, causing them to collapse and fade over time.
How to know if you have varicose veins
Varicose veins are usually hereditary and are a medical condition. They are larger veins than spider veins. You may be able to live with them for a time but treating them early is generally a lot easier. Once veins become varicose, they stop functioning properly and become redundant. Their valves no longer open and close, so blood pools in the veins instead of flowing freely back to the heart.
Symptoms to look for
Spider veins usually do not cause symptoms beyond how they look but sometimes people may experience itching, burning and throbbing. Varicose veins, however, can make your legs feel heavy and achy, especially after long periods of standing or sitting. The skin around the vein may discolour or itch, your legs may swell. Ulcers can develop, when wounds fail to heal. Varicose veins can also increase the overall risk of blood clots, including deep vein thrombosis (DVT) which is why for long-distance travel we recommend wearing compression stockings. And checking in with us.
Varicose veins in other areas of the body, for example, in the pelvic region for women, are hard to diagnose and require specialist diagnosis. Get in touch with our pelvic veins team if you have undiagnosed pelvic pain and suffer these symptoms.
Get in touch, too, if you’re self-conscious about either your spider veins or your varicose veins. Either way, we can help.
