Spider veins on the legs: causes and treatment photos. Spider veins on the legs: methods of treatment, removal and prevention If spider veins appear on the legs

What to do if spider veins appear on your legs? Why can't you sit in a cross-legged position? How to change your diet to avoid vascular problems? Associate Professor, Department of General Surgery, First Moscow State Medical University named after. I.M. Sechenova, phlebologist surgeon Igor Tsarenko will talk about diagnosis, modern treatment and prevention.

Most often, women aged 30 to 40 years turn to specialists in the treatment and prevention of vein diseases: it is during this period that the vascular network becomes a pronounced cosmetic defect. However, the ill-fated “stars” appear much earlier - at 20-30 years. In addition to women with a hereditary predisposition, there is also a certain risk group.

Those who are on their feet all day

Those who spend the whole working day standing are more susceptible to venous changes than others. Employees of beauty salons and shops - be on the lookout!

What to do?

For those who need to stand on their feet for duty, doctors recommend stretching their feet at every opportunity, transferring body weight from heel to toe and back. You can also walk up and down a few steps. This warm-up has a positive effect on vascular function and blood flow in the lower extremities. And flight attendants do several exercises every 1.5 - 2 hours to improve blood circulation.

The appearance of spider veins on the legs is the first manifestation of chronic venous insufficiency. The main reasons: congenital weakness of the venous network, hormonal imbalance and unhealthy lifestyle.

Bad habits

Smoking, excess weight and excessive sunbathing can provoke changes in the functioning of blood vessels. Thin capillaries burst, forming an unsightly mesh under the skin.

What to do?

It's difficult to give up bad habits. Try cutting down on cigarettes. Watch your weight. Morning jogging kills two birds with one stone: the blood vessels in the legs are strengthened, and the desire to smoke a cigarette is noticeably reduced. During the hot season, try to be in the sun only in the morning and evening hours.

Gynecology

It has been noticed that after pregnancy and taking hormonal contraceptives, a venous network may appear.

The fact is that during pregnancy, the expanding fetus compresses important blood vessels. And contraceptive drugs can change hormonal levels, negatively affecting the condition of blood vessels.

What to do?

Before taking any contraceptives, it is extremely important to consult a gynecologist. And those who are going to become a mother should visit a phlebologist and choose special knitwear for pregnancy and childbirth.

What does the vascular network mean?

The location of the burst vessels indicates one or another change in the body:

the lower third of the leg is affected due to venous insufficiency;
the inner or outer thighs may suffer due to hormonal changes.

Diagnosis of varicose veins

If you find spider veins or vascular networks in yourself, you need to contact a specialist - a phlebologist.

First of all, the doctor will ask you about similar illnesses in your relatives.
Then he will examine the legs using a special lamp with a light guide. This procedure is called transillumination.
There is also another, more modern diagnostic method - Doppler ultrasound. You will have to do an ultrasound of your legs, with the help of which the doctor will be able to practically see through the vessels, the blood flowing through them, measure the speed of the flow and determine the condition of the valves of the veins. The procedure usually takes no more than 30 minutes.

Stars on legs: removal and treatment

Today, there are invasive and conservative methods for removing varicose veins.

Invasive therapy

Venous mesh with a diameter of less than 0.2 mm can be quickly, safely and almost painlessly removed using a gold or Teflon-coated electrode. This method is called microthermocoagulation. With it, the capillaries are sealed with a high-frequency pulse using a thin electrode. There are no side effects after this procedure, because the treatment takes place without medications. Microthermocoagulation can be done only after consultation with a phlebologist. The procedure, depending on the area of skin damage, lasts about 20 minutes. In the postoperative period, you should follow the lifestyle prescribed by your doctor.
A venous network with a diameter of more than 0.2 mm can be eliminated using microsclerotherapy. Using an ultra-thin needle, a specialist injects a special drug that “glues” the lumen of the capillary. The procedure is also carried out in medical centers after consultation with a phlebologist.

Be careful: invasive methods are contraindicated during pregnancy and lactation. In addition, the doctor always pays attention to the psychological state, the presence of allergies and the general condition of the patient’s blood vessels.

Conservative therapy

Sometimes specialists, taking into account the patient’s health condition, avoid invasive methods and focus on maintaining the existing situation and preventing the progression of venous defects.

Special ointments and tablets are used to stimulate blood flow and strengthen the walls of blood vessels;
Compression therapy is prescribed - wearing special medical underwear (socks, stockings). By the way, today there are models that can easily be worn both in spring and summer.
Therapeutic exercises and lymphatic drainage massage are also recommended.

Prevention of varicose veins

Do you want to be proud of healthy and beautiful legs without signs of venous complications for as long as possible? Then follow our advice:

Do not wear high-heeled shoes for a long time or often. Choose shoes with heels no more than 4-6 cm;
Take care of your legs not only during the day, but also at night: make sure that they are slightly elevated during sleep. This way you will not only avoid bursting blood vessels on your legs, but also get rid of swelling.
Replace tight, tight socks and socks with tight elastic bands for looser, seamless underwear. It is very important that blood circulates freely through the vessels so that they are not pinched. For the same reason, avoid the cross-legged pose.
The most suitable and useful sports are: swimming, running, aerobics or cycling. Such physical activity strengthens the leg muscles and has a beneficial effect on vascular circulation in the lower extremities.
At the end of the day, take a relaxing foot bath and then lie down with your legs elevated for about 15 minutes.
Eat right. Remember that the condition of blood vessels and weight are closely interrelated, therefore: reduce the amount of fatty and carbohydrate foods, consume more fiber and vitamin C (you will find both in vegetables and fruits). By the way, before starting a course of treatment with a phlebologist, many patients are observed for some time by a nutritionist.

“The most important thing is not to hide the venous network under a tan. Corrective creams, auto-bronzants, creams with a shimmering effect - the choice is really large,” says the phlebologist surgeon. “They can disguise the venous network on the legs. But, alas, from varicose veins, as well as from edema "And cosmetics do not save painful sensations. At least at night, use special foot creams, and before the onset of the summer season, take a course of veinotonics recommended by your doctor."

Cardiologist

Higher education:

Cardiologist

Saratov State Medical University named after. IN AND. Razumovsky (SSMU, media)

Level of education - Specialist

Additional education:

"Emergency Cardiology"

1990 - Ryazan Medical Institute named after Academician I.P. Pavlova

Often in women after 25 years of age, especially those who have given birth to a child, spider veins appear on the thighs. They become a cause of concern, but not because they threaten health, but from an aesthetic point of view. Because of the ugly red-violet stains on their legs, young women are embarrassed to undress on the beach or go to the pool. And they begin to actively fight them. What are spider veins - a sign of disease or a cosmetic defect? And how to get rid of them without harming your health?

Medically

Medicine defines asterisks as a pathology of small vessels inside the skin - arterioles, venules and capillaries. This condition is called telangiectasia (TAE). This is an expansion of blood vessels of a non-inflammatory nature. Science believes that in the human body any deviations from the norm are significant. And the appearance of a spider vein indicates some kind of trouble. Therefore, simply going to a beauty salon and getting rid of rosacea is not enough. First you need to find out why it appeared.

Medicine classifies TAE by origin - congenital pathology and acquired. And also divides them according to the type of affected vessels:

Capillary and arterial. They have a diameter of up to 0.2 mm and are red in color. Such spider veins do not protrude above the surface of the skin.
Venous ones are usually convex, wider in diameter, and blue in color.

In addition, telangiectasias vary in location and shape. The lower extremities are usually affected by dendriform, stellate and linear lesions. The former look like tree branches, the latter resemble a spider (the affected vessels diverge from the center). Neither one nor the other poses a threat to life or health. But they can be a symptom of serious diseases - the initial stage of varicose veins, rosacea, radiation dermatitis and others.

Depending on the location of the spider veins, we can talk about the reason for their appearance. Localization on the inner thigh may indicate their hormonal origin. Prominent vessels on the legs are a clear sign of varicose veins. Moreover, if their occurrence is accompanied by heaviness in the legs, night cramps in the calf muscles, swelling and pain. Therefore, when telangiectasia appears, you must first visit a phlebologist, undergo an examination, and only then rush to a cosmetic clinic.

Why do spider veins appear?

The causes of spider veins on the legs are numerous. More often than others, this affects those whose work involves constant stress on their legs, or, conversely, with little mobility during the day. TAEs can occur as a result of:

congenital diseases (weakness of connective tissue, pathology of the vascular epithelium, impaired collagen production, and so on), manifest themselves already in infancy;
pregnancy;
high blood pressure;
heart diseases;
vascular pathologies - venous insufficiency, varicose veins and others;
hormonal changes during menopause, after an abortion or miscarriage;
liver diseases (hepatitis, cirrhosis);
diseases of the digestive system;
gynecological diseases;
endocrine diseases;
vitamin C deficiency (increased permeability of vascular walls).

During pregnancy, in addition to hormonal changes, the reason that spider veins appear on the legs can be the fetus squeezing the abdominal veins. External factors influencing the formation of telangiectasia:

excessive sun exposure (including frequent visits to the solarium);
bad habits;
sedentary lifestyle;
obesity;
injuries;
overheating or hypothermia of the lower extremities;
abuse of thermal cosmetic procedures;
frequent stress;
taking hormonal contraceptives.

Women more often suffer from telangiectasia on the legs. Men also have varicose veins, but due to the fact that their skin is not so thin, the vascular network is simply not visible.

Diagnostics

Spider veins are treatable, but diagnosis is first necessary. It is carried out in phlebological centers. The main diagnostic methods are ultrasound examination of blood vessels and blood tests. An ultrasound will show the patency of blood vessels and the speed of blood flow. If necessary, Doppler sonography is performed. It allows you to assess the condition of the valves of deep and superficial veins. Blood tests reveal heart disease and liver pathologies. An important indicator is also the level of blood clotting. It is used to judge the possibility of developing thrombosis and thrombophlebitis. Be sure to do a hormone test. Based on the results obtained, the doctor prescribes treatment that primarily eliminates the cause of the appearance of stars on the legs.

Prevention

If the process of spider vein formation has just begun, then it is important to prevent their further spread. Sometimes, to prevent serious diseases, it is worth reconsidering your lifestyle and getting rid of some bad habits. It's not just smoking and addiction to junk food. Favorite “leg-to-leg” pose is also a risk factor. Walking daily for at least 30 minutes is an excellent prevention of varicose veins. It is worth giving up high-heeled shoes and using special stretching knitwear, which will protect blood vessels from excessive stress, support their weak walls and even prevent the formation of blood clots. And these should not be immediate measures, but long-term prevention.

Treatment

How to remove spider veins on the legs? Today this does not present the slightest difficulty. It is important that the treatment is prescribed by a phlebologist. Modern medicine offers two types - conservative and invasive. If you add treatment with folk remedies, then spider veins can be removed in a short time.

Conservative methods

With the help of medications, they offer treatment for spider veins on the legs for those for whom invasive methods are contraindicated. Most often these are periods of childbearing and breastfeeding. First of all, doctors recommend constant wearing of compression hosiery, which is not only a preventative measure, but also a therapeutic factor. Ointments, creams, gels and tablets strengthen the walls of blood vessels, relieve inflammation and prevent the formation of blood clots. Drug therapy can be carried out only as prescribed by the attending physician. For external use the following are usually prescribed:

Troxevasin (venotonic drug, has vitamin supplements);
Venitan (venotonic drug based on horse chestnut seed extract);
Lyoton (anticoagulant).

As well as tablets and capsules that eliminate pain and heaviness in the legs, angioprotectors and vitamins:

Venarus;
Ascorutin;
Phlebodia 600.

Some drugs are prescribed not only to remove spider veins, but also to prevent them. Conservative treatment works well for small areas of telangiectasia.

Radical methods

If the area of the asterisks increases and the degree of vascular damage progresses, doctors resort to hardware treatment methods.

Regardless of the reasons for the appearance of spider veins on the legs, laser removal can achieve good results. Its task is to remove the affected vessel from the bloodstream system. The result is achieved using a laser beam, which specifically targets the pathologically altered capillary or venule, heating them. Temperatures can reach 70 degrees. As a result, the treated part of the vessel sticks together to an irreversible state. The devices are usually equipped with a cooling system to prevent burns. They are adjusted to a targeted effect and do not affect surrounding tissues. Laser star removal is contraindicated for dark skin and heavy tanning. Judging by the reviews of patients, this method does not provide a 100% guarantee that the spider veins will not reappear.

Radio wave method

Treatment of spider veins on the legs using radio wave coagulation is possible only on single capillaries. Through a non-contact incision, a microscopic electrode cauterizes the star. There is no external damage and no scars or pigmentation are formed.

The method of vascular sclerosis is considered one of the most effective. It is based on the introduction into the vessel from which the spider vein is formed of drugs that damage its inner layer. As a result of the reaction occurring in the vein, redness and swelling appear on the surface of the skin. The injection site of the sclerosant is tightened to prevent the treated vessel from unsticking under the influence of blood flow. The duration of 1 session is about 60 minutes. During this time, you can give up to 10 injections. Depending on the extent of the damage, several sessions may be required once a week. To consolidate the effect, be sure to wear compression garments. Sclerotherapy is contraindicated for pregnant and lactating women, people suffering from diabetes and heart disease. The method has good reviews from patients due to its quick results.

Ozone therapy

This type of treatment has positive reviews from doctors for its safety and lack of side effects. A mixture of oxygen and ozone is introduced into the cavity of the vessel. It destroys the vessel, causing the stars to disappear. To achieve maximum effect, several procedures are required. It is advisable to combine this method with laser coagulation or sclerotherapy.

Folk remedies

In addition to drug and hardware treatment, doctors recommend the use of traditional medicine.

Compresses

The easiest way is a compress of fresh tomatoes. Coarsely chopped fruits are laid out on gauze and tied to the affected areas. It is better to carry out this treatment on vacation, because the compress needs to be changed every 4 hours. Daily treatment allows you to completely get rid of spider veins.

A flower infusion of calendula and chamomile helps well. Gauze moistened with it is applied to the areas of telangiectasia. Compresses are applied daily until improvement occurs.

Pour a liter of boiling water over the pine needles (2 cups) and leave on low heat for another 15 minutes. Then remove the broth from the heat and cool. Add a glass of chamomile infusion to it. Foot baths with warm pine decoction should be done daily for half an hour.

Tinctures

Traditional healers know well how to treat spider veins. They advise preparing a tincture of dope seeds. It has a beneficial effect on blood vessels (cleans and strengthens) and can even relieve pain in the legs. Datura is a poisonous plant, so recommendations for its use must be strictly followed. To prepare the medicine you will need 100 g of fresh or 85 g of dry plant seeds. They are filled with 0.5 liters of vodka in a dark glass bottle. The mixture is infused for two weeks, during which time the bottle must be shaken constantly. There is no need to strain the tincture. You need to take 25 drops dissolved in 100 ml of boiled water in the morning half an hour before breakfast. The course of treatment should last exactly 30 days. During this period, you need to drink a lot of fluids.

One of the best remedies for blood vessels is horse chestnut. It contains substances that improve blood flow, strengthen the walls of blood vessels, prevent the appearance of edema, and prevent narrowing of the lumen and the formation of blood clots. All parts of the plant can be used. There are contraindications.

Therapeutic and preventive gymnastics

These exercises will take no more than 15 minutes a day, but the effect of them can be felt very quickly. They are good for the legs, they can be done as a preventative measure, without waiting for spider veins to start appearing on the legs.

Lifting on your toes. Feet slightly apart, rise on tiptoes, raising your heels above the floor no more than 5 cm. Repeat 15 times.
Rocking from toe to heel. Rise alternately on your tiptoes, then on your heels, pulling your toes towards you. Execution time – 1 minute.
Walk in place, socks do not leave the floor. Execution time 1 minute.
Rotation of the feet. Raise your right leg, bent at the knee, and rotate your foot 4 times in one direction and the other. Repeat the exercise with your left leg.

Do not despair when you see the first lesions of the vascular network on your legs. If you follow simple rules and consult a doctor in time, you can get rid of it very quickly.

) are a network of reddish or bluish veins (see photo) that appear through the skin and do not cause much discomfort to the patient. Spider veins are not just a cosmetic defect, but a sign of health problems. Why do stars appear on my legs? Due to a malfunction of the capillary system, the vessels expand and swell. This creates a noticeable, unsightly grid. Its presence indicates a violation of blood pressure in a certain area of the body, a decrease in vascular tone, and their deformation.

Stars on legs treatment causes appearance photo

Spider veins are observed in 50% of women of all ages, and much less frequently in men. This is explained by the fact that men are not as susceptible to hormonal imbalances, and their skin is much thicker. The causes of spider veins on the legs may vary, but treatment is required in all cases. Otherwise, telangiectasia will progress. If left untreated, it may develop, leading to the formation of and.

Common Causes of Stars on Legs

The causes of spider veins on the lower extremities, relevant for both men and women, include:

heredity;
Frequent lifting of weights (including in the gym);
excess weight;
bad habits (smoking, drinking alcohol);
hypoxia;
“standing” work;
diseases of the liver, kidneys, intestines, cardiovascular and endocrine systems;
chronic venous insufficiency (the most common cause in men);
exposure to ultraviolet radiation;
frequent visits to baths, saunas;
weakness of connective tissues;
frostbite;
lack of vitamin C in the body;
varicose veins ().

Causes of spider veins in women

In women, the appearance of stars is often associated with changes in hormonal levels due to

pregnancy;
abortion;
taking hormonal contraceptives;
gynecological diseases;
menopause.

Also, telangiectasias in women appear due to frequent wearing of high-heeled shoes.

By the location of the vascular network, you can determine the cause of its appearance:

asterisks caused by hormonal imbalances appear on the thighs;
telangiectasia on the lower leg occurs due to venous insufficiency.

Alarming symptoms

You should definitely contact a phlebologist if you have the following symptoms:

leg pain;
swelling of the lower extremities;
spasms or cramps of the leg muscles;
heaviness in the legs;
constant fatigue of the lower extremities.

These signs indicate that not everything is in order with the vessels. Urgent measures are needed to prevent the occurrence of spider veins. If telangiectasia has already appeared, the sooner treatment is started, the more effective and successful the result will be.

Prevention of asterisks on legs

The occurrence of telangiectasia can be prevented or at least slowed down. Knowing what causes stars on the legs, it is easy to take preventive measures:

Protect your feet from overheating and frostbite;
Monitor your weight and prevent obesity;
Do not overexpose yourself to the sun;
Give up bad habits (smoking, drinking alcohol), or better replace them with healthy ones: for example, moderate exercise;
Take vitamins that strengthen the walls of blood vessels, or get them from food: C, A, E, P, group B;
Do not lift heavy objects;
Wear high-heeled shoes on special occasions;
Avoid taking hormonal contraceptives;
People whose work involves being on their feet for a long time (salespeople, hairdressers, cooks, flight attendants, etc.) or in a sitting position need to stretch their legs at least every 1.5-2 hours: walk up the stairs for 3-5 walk from heel to toe for minutes, do a few simple leg exercises that improve blood circulation.

In case of a genetic predisposition or the presence of diseases that provoke the appearance of spider veins, it is necessary to visit a phlebologist once a year for prevention.

Stars on legs reasons for appearance photo

Treatment of spider veins

Treatment of spider veins, depending on the complexity of the case, can be conservative or invasive.

Conservative treatment methods include:

the use of drugs (tablets, ointments) to strengthen the walls of blood vessels and improve blood circulation;
compression therapy;
lymphatic drainage massage;
physiotherapy.

Among the invasive methods:

electrocoagulation;
laser photocoagulation;
ozone therapy;
radio wave surgery method.

The appearance of telangiectasia cannot be ignored. It is not recommended to resort to folk remedies. They are ineffective. You may lose time, and treatment with traditional medicine will be longer and more difficult. You should immediately contact a phlebologist, who will determine the causes of spider veins on the legs and prescribe the optimal treatment. Contact the Center for Advanced Surgery.

An experienced professional will relieve you of cosmetic defects and help you avoid the development of varicose veins.

How to remove spider veins on the legs? First of all, women 30-40 years old with fair skin turn to the doctor with this question. It is important to remember that masking the disease is not enough, since telangiectasia can be a sign of a rather serious disease, for example, varicose veins.

Causes of spider veins

Why do spider veins appear, and what is the reason for their appearance? Telangiectasia is a persistent, long-lasting dilation of small vessels associated with stagnation in the circulatory system. The disease is not inflammatory in nature and can be congenital or acquired. Accompanied by spider veins or cobwebs on the legs in blue and red. By themselves, they do not pose any threat to health, but they can be symptoms of various diseases - thrombophlebitis, atherosclerosis and, of course, varicose veins.

Venous stars on the calves

Before prescribing and carrying out treatment, the phlebologist must determine the cause of the formation of spider veins on the legs. The doctor may send the patient for an ultrasound and general blood test. If the examination results show that there is no danger to the veins, the asterisks can be removed in a beauty salon.

A vascular pattern may appear for the following reasons:

Heredity.
Jobs where the main load is on the legs, such as salespeople, teachers and hairdressers.
Wearing shoes of the wrong size and constantly walking in high heels.
Changes in hormonal levels due to reasons: pregnancy, menopause, use of drugs that change hormonal levels, including contraceptives.
Obesity leads to compression of the veins and swelling of the legs, which causes blood stagnation.
Frostbite and overheating of the feet.
Ultraviolet rays promote the expansion of capillaries.
Aging affects the decrease in vascular tone.
Smoking, unhealthy diet, alcohol.
Various diseases: intestines, endocrine and circulatory systems, heart, liver, dermis - accompanied by telangiectasia. And also a lack of vitamin C in the body.
The human habit of sitting cross-legged.
Straining, for example due to constipation or lifting heavy or bulky objects.

Also, diseases of the hematopoietic vessels are indicated by swelling of the lower extremities, fatigue and a feeling of “woolly legs”

Types of telangiectasia

Telangiectasia is divided into the following types:

Arterial And capillary. They are red.
Venous. Blue or lilac color. May cause pain and swelling.

Stars on the thigh

Purple stars can signal varicose veins. Blue cobwebs often accompany diseases of the liver, circulatory system, and also appear with hormonal imbalance. Red, capillary or arterial, with high pressure they can transform into venous, but may turn out to be just a cosmetic defect. Only an experienced doctor - phlebologist - can make an accurate and correct diagnosis.

Few people find the blue-violet “webs” visible through the skin of the legs attractive. Nevertheless, you have to deal with them quite often - they appear from work associated with long standing positions, occur during pregnancy, after hypothermia or, conversely, being in the heat for too long. How to remove and avoid their further appearance? And is it possible to do without the help of a cosmetologist or phlebologist in such a difficult matter? Let's take a closer look at the causes, prevention and treatment of spider veins.

Cause of veins

It's all about disruption of the capillaries. Under the influence of pressure, their walls change shape, swelling and becoming convex. This is how the vascular network, painfully familiar to many women, manifests itself. Increases load pressure on the legs. This means standing all day, constantly wearing heels, and problems with blood circulation. Poor nutrition and improper daily routine, liver and gastrointestinal diseases also play a role. In addition, pregnant women and young mothers often have to think about how to get rid of vascular veins. Sudden weight gain is also one of the reasons. Too much love for tanning also has a destructive effect on the walls of capillaries, as do the side effects of taking certain medications.

Prevention of capillary destruction

It is important not only to learn how to get rid of spider veins on the legs, but also to take preventive measures in advance. Try not to be in the sun for long periods of time and do not overuse saunas or hot tubs. Do not wear clothes that are too tight or constrictive, with seams or elastic bands cutting into your body. Leave shoes with heels for special occasions, and start a decisive fight with excess weight. Try not to stand or sit in one position for too long, change positions often and give your legs a rest. Sport is also an excellent answer to the question of how to get rid of it. Walking, swimming, skiing or cycling will help strengthen the veins and improve the appearance of the legs. You should try to include cherries in your diet, even if it’s not the season and they will only be frozen. During rest, unlearn the habit of tucking your legs under you; on the contrary, try to relax them. If you sit at a desk for a long time, watch your posture.

Finally, about the most important thing. How to restore the beauty of your skin? At the initial stage of the disease, you can cope quite well on your own at home. Serious lesions of the veins should be entrusted to a phlebologist, and you can defeat a small network of vessels yourself. Wipe areas with damaged capillaries with apple cider vinegar three times a day. A month of such procedures, and the appearance of your legs will completely change. Try also pine baths. Brew two glasses of dry needles in a liter of water, strain, dilute with chamomile infusion and soak your feet in a warm bath for about half an hour. The procedure should be repeated daily for about a month. Soon you will forget that you were ever worried about how to get rid of spider veins on your legs.