Vascular Surgery

Spider veins, also known as telangiectasia or broken capillaries, are networks of tiny red, blue, or purplish blood vessels visible on the skin’s surface. While spider veins are not medically dangerous, they are a common cosmetic concern. It’s important to note that having spider veins increases the likelihood of developing varicose veins, larger and often painful bulging veins in the legs.

Spider veins typically appear on the face and legs, affecting self-esteem for many individuals. If spider veins impact your confidence or cause discomfort, Tinsley Surgical offers effective treatments to eliminate them.

Spider veins result from a dysfunction in the valves within your veins. The circulatory system involves arteries carrying oxygen-enriched blood away from the heart, and veins returning used blood back to the heart. Veins have valves that facilitate one-way blood flow toward the heart.

When these valves malfunction, blood leaks backward, leading to vein swelling and visibility under the skin. This condition commonly leads to varicose veins in larger vessels and spider veins in tiny capillaries.

Varicose veins are a common problem that mainly affects the legs, although they can develop elsewhere. The veins become more prominent, showing through your skin as blue or purple lines and loops. As they worsen, the loops start to twist and bulge out from the skin.

Some people develop varicose veins that don’t cause any symptoms, apart from looking unsightly. However, many people find varicose veins make their legs ache and feel uncomfortable. The veins might start itching or feel tender, and they can become ulcerous long term, meaning you develop open sores that are difficult to heal.

Severe varicose veins can form blood clots that can lead to thrombosis, or even pulmonary embolism, if a clot breaks away and travels to your lungs.

Varicose veins develop when the valves inside your veins stop working as they should. The valves are meant to keep blood flowing from your veins back to your heart. If they aren’t working correctly, blood can build up, trickling back up the vein and pooling, causing the vein to swell.

The more blood that pools in the veins, the more they swell and bulge, and the more likely they are to cause you discomfort.