Are Spider Veins Dangerous? Consequences of Untreated Spider Veins

Spider veins are a common condition that affects many people and typically appear on the legs, ankles, and feet. They are easily visible and look alarming — but are spider veins dangerous? Let’s explore.

Spider veins, sometimes also known as telangiectasias, are typically small dilated blood vessels that have a web-like appearance beneath the skin. Spider veins may be blue, red, or purple and generally range in size from a few millimeters to a few centimeters. While they can feel achy or itchy in some cases, they are generally not painful.

So to answer the question – are spider veins dangerous? In the most general sense, the answer is no. Spider veins are a cosmetic condition that, unlike varicose veins, do not cause health risks. However, in some cases, spider veins can be indicative of underlying vein problems, such as chronic venous insufficiency or deep vein thrombosis.

If your spider veins are caused by chronic venous insufficiency, you may also suffer from leg heaviness, leg pain, restless leg syndrome, frequent leg cramps, and throbbing leg veins, especially at night or after long periods of inactivity. Chronic venous insufficiency is a dangerous medical condition that worsens with time, so early diagnosis is necessary.

Even though spider veins are usually harmless, you must contact a board-certified vein doctor for a diagnosis and treatment. If your spider veins are caused by vein disease, it’s best to act quickly before you suffer from leg ulcers, deep vein thrombosis, varicose veins, and other serious health problems and vascular conditions.

California Vein Treatment is a group of state-of-the-art medical centers for vein treatment in San Diego and San Jose. You can find our medical centers for vein treatment in the La Jolla neighborhood on the outskirts of San Diego or near Palo Alto, Sunnydale, and Santa Clara in San Jose. Please schedule an appointment to explore your vein treatments in California.

Do spider veins ever go away naturally? The simple answer is NO. Spider veins, often found on the legs, can be embarrassing for both men and women. Spider veins are enlarged, thin, red, pink, and blue vessels that give the legs a “spider web” appearance. Unfortunately, these pesky veins are here to stay… at least naturally.

It’s possible to reduce or eliminate the appearance of spider veins with the help of a vein doctor. The best procedure for spider veins is sclerotherapy. This involves injecting a sclerosing solution into the affected spider veins to fuse their walls together. The spider veins turn into hardened scar tissues, eventually metabolized and reabsorbed by the body, gradually fading away from the skin’s surface. To eliminate spider veins, you must contact a vein doctor to explore your minimally invasive spider vein treatments in California.