According to the American Heart Association, the chronic venous disease affects over 20 million Americans. When you have spider veins Warner Robins, this causes your vein valves to weaken and malfunction. As a result, blood that should be going to the heart flows backward resulting in pooling.
Unlike varicose veins, spider veins are thinner, smaller, and shaped like spider webs. Spider veins are located in the outer layer of the skin. Often, varicose veins are not unsightly and do not cause pain and discomfort. However, you will need a remedy if the spider veins are painful and ugly.
Generally, women are more at risk of spider veins than men. The American Vein and Lymphatic Society established that women are four times more at risk of spider veins than men. Below are reasons you have a high chance of developing spider veins in your legs as a woman.
Pregnancy
When carrying a child in your womb, your body produces and contains more blood. According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), your normal blood volume can increase by 45% or 60% when pregnant.
Increased blood volume and flow during pregnancy are important for providing sufficient nutrients to the fetus, uterus, and other organs. Also, more blood is required to remove waste products from the fetus and the womb.
However, the increased blood volume and pressure force blood vessels and their tiny valves to work faster and harder. The sustained strain on the tiny valves in your legs and feet can lead to their malfunction, which causes spider veins. Veins and valves in your legs are prone to damage since they pump oxygen-deprived blood toward the heart against gravity.
Obesity
As a woman, you are also more prone to being obese or overweight than a man for different reasons, including pregnancy. MedlinePlus reports that most pregnant women gain about 25 to 40 pounds.
The hormonal fluctuations associated with different reproductive processes can also lead to excess weight gain. Excessive weight places a lot of stress on the structures and organs of your body, including veins. Pressure on the veins in your legs and feet can make them swell and impair their valves, leading to spider veins.
Menopause
Most women can no longer give birth from age 45 to 55. During menopause, your body has significantly reduced the production and circulation of estrogen and other reproductive hormones.
As a result, you can gain more weight and develop higher blood pressure. Those potential health problems can excessively strain your veins, triggering the development of spider veins.
You will need treatment immediately if you have developed severe and extensive spider veins. Untreated spider veins can trigger sores and skin ulcers on your legs and feet. Furthermore, you may have to deal with blood clotting.
An effective treatment your doctor can administer is sclerotherapy. Your doctor will inject a chemical solution into the affected veins, causing them to swell, stick together, and block. Veins without blood flow fade within weeks.
Contact Middle Georgia Vascular Surgery Center & Vein Solutions today to schedule a consultation with a spider veins specialist.
