Varicose veins and spider veins
Varicose veins and spider veins (PDF, 306 KB)
Varicose veins and spider veins (PDF, 306 KB)
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Varicose veins and spider veins are swollen, twisted veins that usually appear on the legs. Women are more likely to have varicose veins and spider veins. Pregnancy, older age, and obesity can increase your risk of varicose veins and spider veins. Varicose veins and spider veins are often painless and do not usually cause health problems. If they do cause symptoms, or if you want to have them removed, talk to your doctor or nurse about treatment options.
Varicose veins are twisted veins that can be blue, red, or skin-colored. The larger veins may appear ropelike and make the skin bulge out.
Varicose veins are often on the thighs, the backs and fronts of the calves, or the inside of the legs near the ankles and feet. During pregnancy, varicose veins can happen around the inner thigh, lower pelvic area, and buttocks.
Spider veins, or thread veins, are smaller than varicose veins. They are usually red. They may look like tree branches or spider webs. Spider veins can usually be seen under the skin, but they do not make the skin bulge out like varicose veins do.
Spider veins are usually found on the legs or the face.
Some women do not have any symptoms with varicose veins and spider veins. If you do have symptoms, your legs may feel extremely tired, heavy, or achy. Your symptoms may get worse after sitting or standing for long periods of time. Your symptoms may get better after resting and putting your legs up.3
Other symptoms that may be more common with varicose veins include:
Changing hormone levels may affect your symptoms. Because of this, you may notice more symptoms during certain times in your menstrual cycle or during pregnancy or menopause.
Problems in the valves in your veins can prevent blood from flowing normally and cause varicose veins or spider veins.
Your heart pumps blood filled with oxygen and nutrients through your arteries to your whole body. Veins then carry the blood from different parts of your body back to your heart. Normally, your veins have valves that act as one-way flaps. But, if the valves don't close correctly, blood can leak back into the lower part of the vein rather than going toward the heart. Over time, more blood gets stuck in the vein, building pressure that weakens the walls of the vein. This causes the vein to grow larger.
Yes. Varicose veins and spider veins are caused by damaged valves in the veins that prevent blood from flowing normally. Many things can damage your valves, but your risk of varicose veins and spider veins may be higher if you:1
Varicose veins and spider veins appear most often in the legs. This is because the veins in your legs carry blood to your heart against gravity and for the longest distance of anywhere in the body.
Maybe. If you think you have varicose veins or spider veins and they cause you pain or discomfort, talk to your doctor or nurse. Varicose veins and spider veins usually do not cause symptoms. But, you may want to remove or close varicose veins or spider veins if you have symptoms or if you don't like the way they look.
Talk to your doctor or nurse if varicose veins or spider veins cause you pain or if:1,8
Maybe. During pregnancy, you have more blood pumping through your body to support your unborn baby. The extra blood can cause your veins to get larger. Your growing uterus (womb) also puts pressure on the veins. Varicose veins may appear around the vagina and buttocks.
For some women, varicose veins shrink or disappear after childbirth. For others, varicose veins stay after childbirth, and symptoms continue to get worse. Women may also get more varicose veins or spider veins with each additional pregnancy.
Your doctor or nurse will look at your legs while you're standing or sitting down. He or she may ask you about your symptoms, including pain. Sometimes the doctor or nurse may do other tests to rule out other health problems.
Your doctor or nurse may also do one of the following:
Maybe. Some treatments for varicose veins seal off or remove the vein permanently. But, over time, new varicose veins or spider veins can develop. You can't control some risk factors for varicose veins and spider veins, like your age and family history. If you get new varicose veins or spider veins, you may need to have a surgery or medical procedure again to remove them or block them off.
Wearing gradient compression support stockings may help prevent new varicose veins or spider veins from developing.
If your varicose veins or spider veins bother you, you can take steps at home or work to make blood flow in your legs better.
Compression stockings put pressure on your veins, which increases blood flow from your legs. There are three kinds of compression stockings:
Some stronger compression stockings can hurt people with certain medical conditions, such as certain types of heart disease or heart failure. Ask your doctor or nurse if it's safe for you to use prescription-strength compression stockings or what strength would be safe for you.
Your doctor or nurse may give you medicine to treat the symptoms of varicose veins, including swelling, pain, and itching.9
Other nonsurgical treatments for varicose veins and spider veins include:
Your doctor or nurse may recommend surgery for very large or severe varicose veins. Types of surgery for varicose veins include:
Maybe. Your insurance plan may cover certain treatments for varicose veins and spider veins, such as compression stockings, medicine, or a procedure, if you have symptoms, such as pain or swelling. Insurance may also cover surgery if wearing compression stockings has not helped.
Most varicose veins and spider veins do not cause any health problems. Larger varicose veins may cause aching, throbbing, and discomfort, especially after you have been sitting or standing for long periods of time.
Sometimes, varicose veins can lead to more serious health problems, including:
You may not be able to prevent varicose veins and spider veins, especially if they usually happen in your family or when you are pregnant. There are other parts of your life that you cannot control, such as getting older, that can also contribute to varicose veins and spider veins.
There are steps you can take at home, like exercising and losing extra weight, that can make you healthier and may prevent new varicose veins or spider veins from forming. These steps may also help your legs feel better by relieving pain and discomfort.
For more information about varicose veins and spider veins, call the OWH Helpline at 1-800-994-9662 or contact the following organizations:
Varicose veins and spider veins (PDF, 306 KB)
Enter a city, ZIP code (such as 20002), address, state, or place
Embed this widget on your web site
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The Office on Women's Health is grateful for the medical review in 2017 by:
Zorina Galis, Ph.D., Chief, Vascular Biology and Hypertension Branch, Division of Cardiovascular Sciences, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute
Diane Reid, M.D., Vascular Biology and Hypertension Branch, Division of Cardiovascular Sciences, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute
Suman M. Wasan, M.D., M.S., Regents Professor, Department of Medicine, Director of Vascular Medicine, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center
All material contained on these pages are free of copyright restrictions and may be copied, reproduced, or duplicated without permission of the Office on Women’s Health in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Citation of the source is appreciated.
Page last updated: September 24, 2018.
[tooltiptop title="VAIR-ih-kohs"]Varicose[/tooltiptop] veins and spider veins are swollen, twisted veins that usually appear on the legs. Women are more likely to have varicose veins and spider veins. Pregnancy, older age, and obesity can increase your risk of varicose veins and spider veins. Varicose veins and spider veins are often painless and do not usually cause health problems. If they do cause symptoms, or if you want to have them removed, talk to your doctor or nurse about treatment options.
Varicose veins are twisted veins that can be blue, red, or skin-colored. The larger veins may appear ropelike and make the skin bulge out.
Varicose veins are often on the thighs, the backs and fronts of the calves, or the inside of the legs near the ankles and feet. During pregnancy, varicose veins can happen around the inner thigh, lower pelvic area, and buttocks.
Spider veins, or thread veins, are smaller than varicose veins. They are usually red. They may look like tree branches or spider webs. Spider veins can usually be seen under the skin, but they do not make the skin bulge out like varicose veins do.
Spider veins are usually found on the legs or the face.
Varicose veins affect almost twice as many women as men and are more common in older women.1 Spider veins may affect more than half of women.2
Some women do not have any symptoms with varicose veins and spider veins. If you do have symptoms, your legs may feel extremely tired, heavy, or achy. Your symptoms may get worse after sitting or standing for long periods of time. Your symptoms may get better after resting and putting your legs up.3
Other symptoms that may be more common with varicose veins include:
Changing hormone levels may affect your symptoms. Because of this, you may notice more symptoms during certain times in your menstrual cycle or during pregnancy or menopause.
Problems in the valves in your veins can prevent blood from flowing normally and cause varicose veins or spider veins.
Your heart pumps blood filled with oxygen and nutrients through your arteries to your whole body. Veins then carry the blood from different parts of your body back to your heart. Normally, your veins have valves that act as one-way flaps. But, if the valves don't close correctly, blood can leak back into the lower part of the vein rather than going toward the heart. Over time, more blood gets stuck in the vein, building pressure that weakens the walls of the vein. This causes the vein to grow larger.
Yes. Varicose veins and spider veins are caused by damaged valves in the veins that prevent blood from flowing normally. Many things can damage your valves, but your risk of varicose veins and spider veins may be higher if you:1
Varicose veins and spider veins appear most often in the legs. This is because the veins in your legs carry blood to your heart against gravity and for the longest distance of anywhere in the body.
Maybe. If you think you have varicose veins or spider veins and they cause you pain or discomfort, talk to your doctor or nurse. Varicose veins and spider veins usually do not cause symptoms. But, you may want to remove or close varicose veins or spider veins if you have symptoms or if you don't like the way they look.
Talk to your doctor or nurse if varicose veins or spider veins cause you pain or if:1,8
Maybe. During pregnancy, you have more blood pumping through your body to support your unborn baby. The extra blood can cause your veins to get larger. Your growing uterus (womb) also puts pressure on the veins. Varicose veins may appear around the vagina and buttocks.
For some women, varicose veins shrink or disappear after childbirth. For others, varicose veins stay after childbirth, and symptoms continue to get worse. Women may also get more varicose veins or spider veins with each additional pregnancy.
Your doctor or nurse will look at your legs while you're standing or sitting down. He or she may ask you about your symptoms, including pain. Sometimes the doctor or nurse may do other tests to rule out other health problems.
Your doctor or nurse may also do one of the following:
Maybe. Some treatments for varicose veins seal off or remove the vein permanently. But, over time, new varicose veins or spider veins can develop. You can't control some risk factors for varicose veins and spider veins, like your age and family history. If you get new varicose veins or spider veins, you may need to have a surgery or medical procedure again to remove them or block them off.
Wearing gradient compression support stockings may help prevent new varicose veins or spider veins from developing.
If your varicose veins or spider veins bother you, you can take steps at home or work to make blood flow in your legs better.
Compression stockings put pressure on your veins, which increases blood flow from your legs. There are three kinds of compression stockings:
Some stronger compression stockings can hurt people with certain medical conditions, such as certain types of heart disease or heart failure. Ask your doctor or nurse if it's safe for you to use prescription-strength compression stockings or what strength would be safe for you.
Your doctor or nurse may give you medicine to treat the symptoms of varicose veins, including swelling, pain, and itching.9
Other nonsurgical treatments for varicose veins and spider veins include:
Your doctor or nurse may recommend surgery for very large or severe varicose veins. Types of surgery for varicose veins include:
Maybe. Your insurance plan may cover certain treatments for varicose veins and spider veins, such as compression stockings, medicine, or a procedure, if you have symptoms, such as pain or swelling. Insurance may also cover surgery if wearing compression stockings has not helped.
Most varicose veins and spider veins do not cause any health problems. Larger varicose veins may cause aching, throbbing, and discomfort, especially after you have been sitting or standing for long periods of time.
Sometimes, varicose veins can lead to more serious health problems, including:
You may not be able to prevent varicose veins and spider veins, especially if they usually happen in your family or when you are pregnant. There are other parts of your life that you cannot control, such as getting older, that can also contribute to varicose veins and spider veins.
There are steps you can take at home, like exercising and losing extra weight, that can make you healthier and may prevent new varicose veins or spider veins from forming. These steps may also help your legs feel better by relieving pain and discomfort.
For more information about varicose veins and spider veins, call the OWH Helpline at 1-800-994-9662 or contact the following organizations:
This content is provided by the Office on Women's Health.
A federal government website managed by the Office on Women's Health in the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
200 Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington, DC 20201
1-800-994-9662 • Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. ET (closed on federal holidays).