Spider Veins & Varicose Veins: Webs, Branches, and Rope

Hi. Welcome back to the Aging Mask Podcast. A Lifestyle Medicine Podcast that explores Lifestyle, Wellness, and our Everyday Choices that shape the way we Age.

I am Joanne Demers. Your weekly wellness companion. 

Thank you for listening.

Today, we are talking about veins, not just veins, but spider veins and varicose veins.

Those not always tiny, red, blue purple or bulging veins that seem to just pop up out of nowhere. 

If you have ever looked at your legs and wondered why you have these veins, you are not alone.  You are definitely not alone. Spider Veins and Varicose veins are just another itemon the long list of things we compare about ourselves. And since they have made the list of comparables, I thought it would be fun to explain them.

Admittingly, there is one thing that I do appreciate about spider and varicose veins…the good news.. they are  equal opportunity employers… they affect Men and Women.

 BUT, there is bad news; They are more common in women.

Veins are blood vessels whose sole responsibility is to carry blood back to your heart.

All veins carry blood back to your heart, but the veins in our legs have one of  the hardest jobs in your body as they must constantly work against gravity to move blood upward, which is one reason spider and varicose veins are more common on your legs.

In order to do this, veins contain tiny one- way valves; think of them as little doors- they open to allow blood upward and close to prevent your blood from falling backward, pretty cool, huh?

When these valves work properly, your blood flows efficiently- but when they weaken, blood begins to pool, and that is where the problem starts.

Overtime, that increased pressure can stretch your vein walls and contribute to the development of spider and varicose veins.

Now, these are more  terms that we use interchangeably, but Spider Veins and Varicose Veins are not the same. 

Both of them are linked to increased pressure inside the veins, but the difference is where that pressure occurs, and how severe it becomes.

Spider veins are the tiny veins you see. They sit close to the surface of your skin, and they look like:

Spider webs

Tree branches

Or some can look like cracks under your skin.

Spider veins they are usually- red, purple or blue.

They are typically flat, and for the most part they do not ,and will not ,cause you any physical discomfort.

Varicose Veins… are bigger veins that have become stretched out overtime. When the little valves inside stop working as well as they should, blood pools in the vein, causing it to get bigger, twist, and sometimes bulge out beneath your skin looking like rope. 

Unlike spider veins, which are mostly just a cosmetic concern, varicose veins can sometimes cause symptoms like:

Aching, throbbing, swelling, leg fatigue or discomfort which tends to worsen after long periods of sitting or standing.

That said, not all people with  varicose veins experience symptoms. Some people have very visible veins with no discomfort at all.

PS) you might find relief in this:

 Spider Veins don’t typically morph into varicose veins. Spider Veins are not baby Varicose Veins.

There isn’t just one cause.

Most of the time, spider veins and varicose veins develop from a combination of pressure, time and biology.

The most common causes of increased pressure in your veins is :

*If you stand to long- 

anyone who spends hours upright without a lot of  movement – this places strain on your veins. 

*If you sit to long- today we do a lot of sitting- hours and hours sitting at a desk, in cars, and airplanes- these all reduce healthy circulation.

*if you have excess body weight- more weight means more pressure on the veins in  your lower legs- this means

Your veins have to work harder to push the blood back up  to the heart, and that constant strain can contribute to the weakening of those tiny one way valves inside the veins)the doors)- and when those valves no longer close properly, blood starts to pool, increasing the pressure- and leading to varicose veins.

*Hormonal changes- can affect the elasticity of the veins.

Hormonal changes make the vein walls more relaxed and prone to stretching,  and these changes make it harder for the veins and their tiny valves to function as efficiently as before.

We want our veins to be flexible, but not overly stretched. Think of  a rubber band- a new- healthy rubberband stretches then returns to its original shape. An old or overused rubberband stretches- but it doesn’t bounce back the same- this is the same thing that happens to our veins.

Aging

As we age.

·   Our vein walls become less elastic

·   Our valves weaken

·   And years of gravity and pressure accumulate- so spider and varicose veins become more common with age.

When it comes to the cause of Spider and varicose veins.. The biggest factor of all.. is genetics.

Most of the time veins arrive because  of genetics.

Some people inherit stronger vein walls and more efficient valves.

And other people inherit veins that are more susceptible to stretching and pressure over time.

Every BODY is different- You can lead an almost identical lifestyle to your sibling- and still have completely different vein patterns. You may develop spider veins and varicose veins, while they have none at all.

This is an important reminder that veins are not always  reflection of what you’re doing-  or not doing-  Sometimes they are just genetics...end of story.

The biggest misconception about spider and varicose veins is that they are just a cosmetic issue, sometimes they are…

Sometimes ..they are just visible reminders of hormones, pregnancy, genetics and aging….

But sometimes they are a message from your circulation asking for attention.

Being we can’t change genes, and we definitely can’t stop aging, And we aren’t able to control every vein that appears, we can take steps to  support our body and the veinsthat carry us through life.. By supporting our circulation through movement, maintaining a healthy weight, staying hydrated, healthy habits, and early intervention when a problem arises.

Of all the non-invasive tools available, compression socks are highly recommended- because they are one of the few things that actually help “symptoms”.

They  work by gently squeezing your legs, with the greatest amount of pressure around your ankle -and then give gradually less pressure as they move up your leg. 

Compression socks provide support to the veins themselves. The gentle pressure helps prevent  blood from pooling in your lower legs, reduces swelling, and helps the veins move blood back upwards towards your heart.

With a lot of products out there comes the promise of miraculous results is there, but it’s a lie. There isn’t a cream, lotion or potion that will eliminate or repair established or damagedveins.

Creams and lotions  may:

Improve skin appearance

Reduce temporary swelling

And soothe any discomfort  you may have.

There are no foods out there that remove spider & varicose veins either- BUT there are certain foods that support blood vessel health.

IF you focus on eating:

Berries

Citrus fruits

Leafy greens

Beets

Nuts and seeds

And beans. These all contain compounds that support healthy circulation and connective tissues.

And of course lots of water.

Hydration is beneficial to veins too. Being hydrated will NOT erase spider veins or varicose veins it does support healthy circulation. Our blood is largely made up of water, so staying hydrated helps your circulatory system function efficiently. Hydration also supports healthy muscle function, including your calf muscles. Water is just another habit that supports  vein health, again, not a cure, but definitely a foundation.

Drinking Turmeric Tea- which is anti-inflammatory

And 

Ginger Tea-  which supports circulation

But again, these supporters can’t  eliminate established  spider or varicose veins.

Before I say goodbye- I have some take away food for thought for you.

Some traditions say that varicose veins symbolically represent feeling unsupported, stuck, burdened, or unable to move forward- feeling like you are living a lie and not living up to your full potential. Too much stress ,pressure and responsibility. And  you may be carrying such a big load that your legs can no longer support you. varicose veins are a symbol of carrying too much for too long…

At the end of the day, your legs carry you through every stage of life. So. Maybe, this is reason enough to appreciate them, support them and keep them moving.

Enjoy!

Joanne Demers

The Aging Mask- A Lifestyle Medicine Podcast

(949)236-1529

Follow along on Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/theagingmask

Transcript

0:00

Hi, welcome back to the Aging Mass Podcast, a lifestyle medicine podcast that explores lifestyle, wellness, and our everyday choices that shape the way we age. I am Joanne Demurs, your weekly wellness companion. Thank you for tuning in and listening today. I greatly appreciate it. Thank you, thank you, thank you. Today we are going to talk about veins. Not just vein veins, but spider veins and varicose veins. Those not always tiny red, blue, purple, or bulging veins that seem to just pop up out of nowhere. Those veins. If you have ever looked at your legs and wondered why you have these veins, you are not alone. You are definitely not alone. Spider veins and varicose veins are just another item on that long list of things that we compare about ourselves. And since they have made the list of comparables, I thought it would be fun to explain them, to talk about them. Admittingly, there is one thing that I do appreciate about spider veins and varicose veins, and that is it's good news. They are equal opportunity employers. They affect men and women. Can you believe it? Woo-hoo! But there's always a but. The bad news is they're more common in women. I know, I know, it figures, it figures, but it is the way it is. Veins. Veins are blood vessels whose sole responsibility is to carry blood back to your heart. All veins carry blood back to your heart, but the veins in your legs have one of the hardest jobs in your body because they must constantly work against gravity to move your blood upward, which is one reason that spider and varicose veins are more common on our legs. They have to move the blood upward against gravity. And in order to do this, to move the blood upward, veins contain tiny one-way valves. Think of them as a little door. A little door. They open to allow blood upward and then close to prevent your blood from falling backward. Pretty cool, huh? Now, when these valves work properly, your blood flows efficiently. No problem. Just free flowing. But when they weaken, when these valves weaken, your blood begins to pull in there. P-O-O-L pull. That is where the problem starts. Is when your blood begins to pull inside these veins. Over time, that increased pressure can stretch your vein walls and can contribute to the development of the spider vein and the varicose vein. Now, really quickly, these are more terms that we seem to use interchangeably. Spider veins and varicose veins, we use them interchangeably, but they're not the same, like a lot of things. They are not the same. Both of them are linked to increased pressure inside the veins. But the difference is where that pressure occurs and how severe it becomes. Now, spider veins, these are the tiny little veins that you see. You can see them on your skin. They sit super close to the surface of your skin. And they look like they can look like spider webs, they can look like tree branches, some of them even look like little cracks under your skin. Spider veins are usually red, purple, or blue. They are typically flat, and for the most part, they do not cause any physical discomfort. On the other hand, varicose veins, these are bigger veins that have become stretched out over time. When the little valves inside stop working, those little doors as well as they should, blood pools in the vein, causing it to get bigger, then causing it to twist, and sometimes they get so big that they bulge out beneath your skin and they start looking like rope. I'm sure you've seen those. If you are lucky enough to not have them, maybe you've seen them on somebody else, but they get really big and ropey looking. Um yeah. And unlike spider veins, which are mostly just a cosmetic concern, varicose veins can sometimes cause symptoms like leg fatigue, they can cause swelling in your leg, um, throbbing, aching, just discomfort. And this discomfort tends to worsen after you sit for a long period of time or you stand for a long period of time. And that said, not all people with varicose veins experience symptoms. Some people have very visible veins with no discomfort at all, which is a great thing. A good way to remember the difference between a spider vein and a varicose vein. I think of it like this. Well, you can think of the spider vein as the webs or the tree branches, and then the varicose veins as ropes. Another way to look at it is spider veins are a surface issue, and varicose veins are a deeper plumbing issue. So spiders are on their surface, varicose are deeper, deeper issues. And you might find a little relief in this that your spider veins, if you have them, don't typically morph into varicose veins. Spider veins are not baby varicose veins. So that's a good thing. That's the bright side. Now, there isn't just one cause of spider and varicose veins, which drives me crazy. I would prefer that there was one cause, we could handle it, and then we wouldn't get them. But that's not the case. Most of the time, spider veins and varicose veins develop from a combination of pressure, time, and biology. And the most common cause of increased pressure in your veins is sitting and standing for too long, carrying extra weight, hormonal changes, pregnancy, and aging. Aging too. If you stand too long, okay, anyone who spends hours upright without a lot of movement, this places a lot of strain on your veins, which is no good. So standing too long is not good. If you sit too long, I know today we do a lot of sitting, hours and hours. We sit at a desk, we're in cars, we're in airplanes. All of this reduces healthy circulation. So you don't want to stand too long and you don't want to sit too long. If you have excess body weight, which more weight means more pressure on the veins in your lower legs, your veins, if you have excess body weight, have to work harder to push that blood back up to the heart. And that constant strain can contribute to the weakening of those tiny one-way valves inside those veins, those doors. And when those valves no longer close properly, blood starts to pull, increasing the pressure, which of course leads to varicose veins. Hormonal changes can affect the elasticity of the veins. Hormonal changes make the vein walls more relaxed and prone to stretching. And these changes make it harder for the veins and their tiny little valves to function as efficiently as before. And we want our objective, we want our veins to be flexible, but not overly stretched. So think of a rubber band. You know how a new rubber band, it's all healthy and it stretches. You can stretch it out and then you let it go and it returns to normal shape. That's what we want. An old overused rubber band, it stretches, right? You've had it over a big, thick file for a long time. It's stretched out, and when you remove it from that file, it doesn't bounce back. Okay? That same thing happens to our veins. We do not want our veins to get old and overused that stretch but then don't come back. Aging is another thing. As we age, our vein walls become less elastic. Our vein walls, or excuse me, our valves, our valves weaken. And because of years of gravity and pressure, it accumulates. So spider and varicose veins become more common with age. And when it comes to the number one cause of spider veins and varicose veins, the biggest factor of all is genetics. Genetics. Most of the time, veins arrive because of our genetics. Some people inherit stronger vein walls and more efficient valves, which is great. And other people inherit veins that are more susceptible to stretching and pressure over time. Everybody is different. It's key to remember, everybody is different. You can lead an almost identical lifestyle to your sibling and still have completely different vein patterns. You may develop spider veins and varicose veins while your sibling has none at all. And this is an important reminder that veins are not always a reflection of what you're doing or not doing. Sometimes it's just genetics, it's biology. End of story. It's not what you're doing or not doing. And if you've ever wondered whether the color of a vein tells you something important, it does and it can. Blue veins, these usually sit a little deeper beneath your skin. The purple veins are usually larger. They're usually a sign of spider veins or smaller varicose veins. Then you have the dark blue bulging veins, and these tend to be the classic varicose vein where blood is pulling and the pressure is higher. That's dark blue bulging veins. Those are varicose. If you have brown skin around your veins, these need your attention. You may even want to see a doctor. If you notice that you have brown skin around your veins, brown discoloration can indicate that you have a long-standing circulation problem. Now, this brown discoloration, it's not dirt. You haven't been able to wipe it off. It's not a bruise because it doesn't go away, and they're not age spots. You don't normally get age spots on your legs or your ankles. That's not true. I take that back. You just know it's not dirt, it's not bruising, and it's not age spots. This is a rusty brown color. It looks like a stain. And what that is, it's the result of tiny amounts of fluid and red blood cells slowly leaking from the vein into your surrounding tissue. And it leaves behind that brownish pigment. And these usually appear around your ankles and your lower legs. So keep an eye out for brown discoloration around your vein. Go get that checked if you would. I would greatly appreciate it. Most of the time, spider veins and varicose veins usually show up in many of the same places. They show up in areas where they have to work the hardest against gravity, like on your legs, from the thighs down to your calves and your ankles. And spider veins, they can also appear on your face. Yep. Especially around your nose and on your cheeks. And varicose veins, thank God, generally just stay on your legs. Now, when it comes to prevention, we really cannot prevent them, especially if genetics is involved. But you can reduce the odds and slow down the progression. First thing you need to do is you need to move a lot. Walking is one of the best things you can do because every step activates your calf muscle, and your calf muscle acts like a second heart by helping push your blood upwards. So you want to move a lot because it activates your calf muscles. Elevate your legs every day if you can. Try and take 10 minutes to raise your legs above your heart level. I want to give you a tip. Go to a bare wall in your house, any bare wall, lay on your side, move your butt all the way up so it's touching the wall, then swing your legs up so you look like an L. Okay. So your legs are up high on the wall, your back is on the ground, your arms are on the ground. Try and do this for 10 minutes. I think you're gonna get addicted to it because it feels amazing. I started doing this months and months ago, but I started doing it because it helps alleviate cellulite. And of course, they don't want to say that alleviates it, but it really does help. So I'm killing two birds with one stone now. I enjoy it, I use it as my scroll time, and I seem to sleep better too. So give that a try, see what you think. It's a good stretch, too. It's just overall beneficial. And again, I do it right before bed. Try to keep track of your weight. Keep your weight in check. A healthy weight means less pressure and stress on your veins. Avoid those long periods of stillness. If you sit a lot, get up. If you stand a lot, move. The worst thing for your veins is remaining stationary. And one of the simplest things that we can do for our veins is to move. When we sit or we stand in one position for too long, blood begins to pool in those lower legs. So movement activates that calf muscle again, which helps pump the blood back toward the heart. So if possible, try to get up and move for a minute or two minutes every hour. Okay. Every hour, do jumping jacks, jump up and down, run around for one minute or two minutes every hour. This will help. And I know how easy it is to get caught up in a work or a project or just binge watching TV, and suddenly you realize you haven't moved for hours. I know how easy that is, but you have to be cognizant of keeping track of time. Every hour, set an alarm if you have to just get up and move. Get those legs moving. And again, none of these habits are guaranteed prevention, but they will help reduce the strain on your veins, which is good. Now, you've probably heard that crossing your legs causes varicose veins. This is a lie, it's a myth. Crossing your legs does not cause veins, which is a good thing too. When it comes to spider veins and varicose veins, there is no shortage of creams and lotions and herbal remedies and miracle potions promising to make them disappear. Well, while some products may temporarily improve the appearance of the skin, reduce the swelling in the legs, or make your legs feel more comfortable, most cannot repair the underlying issue, which is a weakened vein wall or a faulty valve inside the vein. So no lotion potion is going to get rid of those veins. There are a lot of things that can help. And the first, and I think it's amazing, out of all of the non-evasive tools available, I think compression socks are great. I highly recommend compression socks because they are one of the few things that actually help the symptoms. Okay. And I feel, my personal opinion is I feel that they stop the arrival of varicose veins and spider veins. Just my opinion. Again, I'm not a doctor, but I think they work. And then they give gradually less pressure as they move up the leg. So again, tight at the ankle, and then they go lighter, lighter, lighter, lighter. But that lightness is still tight, just so you know. And compression socks, what they do is they provide support to the veins themselves. The gentle pressure from the sock helps prevent blood from pulling in your lower legs. And it reduces the swelling and it helps the veins move your blood back up towards the heart. They're they're great. Just think about it. Gravity is constantly trying to pull blood downward, and your veins are constantly working to move it back up. So it's just this push and pull, push and pull. It's crazy. Now, I'm gonna remind you that your calf muscles are also known as your body's second heart. I don't know if you caught that when I just mentioned it, but calf muscles are your second heart. Every time you walk, your calf muscles contract and help pump blood upwards. Okay? Now, compression socks don't replace that natural pump. They just simply help it work more effectively. And if you have a family history of vein issues, Or you spend long hours sitting or standing, you travel a lot, or you just simply notice that your legs swell or they feel heavy. Compression socks are worth considering. They're just trying and get one pair, they feel good too. Again, again, they are not a magic solution, and they are by no means glamorous. You want to hide them with long pants if you're traveling or you're working, but they are one of the few tools that really support circulation and that reduce strain on your veins. Again, a lot of people find them handy during long flights, road trips, during pregnancy is a great time to wear and try out compression socks. And they come in even more handy for people that have jobs that require a lot of standing. Shoes matter to some extent. There's no magical vein-friendly shoe, but comfortable walking shoes that encourage that natural calf muscle movement, they're generally beneficial. I want to share with you ladies, high heels they limit full calf muscle function. And you may reduce some of the natural pumping action that helps circulation by wearing high heels a lot. But bottom line, there's no perfect shoe, just regular movement helps. And there's a lot of products, right? There's a lot of products with the promise of miraculous results, but it's a lie. There isn't a cream, a lotion, or a potion that will eliminate or repair established or damaged veins. Just can't happen. Now, creams and lotions may improve skin appearance, they may help reduce temporary swelling and soothe any discomfort that you may have, but they are not going to help them disappear. And there are no foods out there that remove spider veins and varicose veins either. But there are certain foods that support blood vessel health. So if you focus on eating things like berries, citrus fruits, leafy greens, get some beets in once in a while, nuts and seeds and beans, these all contain compounds that support healthy circulation and your connective tissues. And of course, lots of water. Drink lots of water. Hydration is beneficial to veins. Being hydrated will not erase spider veins or varicose veins, but it does support healthy circulation. Our blood is largely made up of water, so staying hydrated helps your circulatory system function efficiently. And hydration also supports healthy muscle function, including your calf muscles. By the way, you want to work your calf muscles. Do something that makes your calf muscles stronger and bigger when you work out. A lot of people forget about the calf muscle. Again, it's your second heart. Keep it healthy, keep it strong. And water is just another habit that supports vein health. Again, not a cure, but definitely a foundation. Also, drinking turmeric tea is good, which is anti-inflammatory. And ginger tea, it helps support circulation. But again, these supporters can't eliminate established spider veins or varicose veins. But if you do all these habits, maybe you won't get spider veins or varicose veins. And the latter is what I believe. And the question we all want an answer to is how we can get rid of them if you have them. The not so good news, if a vein has already become really stretched and the valves have been damaged, your body, no matter what you do, will not restore that vein to its original condition. Which means if you are looking to remove spider veins or varicone's veins, modern medicine has several treatment methods to remove them. That's probably the best way to go. It's the only way if you want to remove them. What these treatments do is they either close or remove the damaged vein, which allows your blood to be rerouted through healthier veins. I did know a man who he actually played a sport, a very good sport rugby, and he had so many varicose veins on his legs. It was amazing to me. And um, he got them surgically removed. He got them surgically removed, which was I mean, I don't know how they it's yeah, but you can you can remove them, they just reroute your blood through healthier veins. Now, the biggest misconception about spider veins and varicose veins is that they are just a cosmetic issue. Again, sometimes they are, sometimes they are just a visible reminder of hormones, pregnancy, genetics, and aging. But sometimes they are a message from your circulation asking for attention. Remember the brown skin. Pay attention. And being we can't change our genes, and we definitely can't stop aging, and we aren't able to control every vein that appears, we can take steps to support our body and the veins that carry us through life by supporting our circulation through movement, maintaining a healthy weight, staying hydrated, keeping healthy habits, and of course, early intervention when a problem arises. Now, before I say goodbye, I have some takeaway food for thought for you. Okay, it's a little woo-hoo-y, but it's something to think about. Some traditions say that varico's veins represent feeling unsupported, stuck, burdened, or unable to move forward, feeling like you are living a lie and not living up to your full potential, that you are handling too much stress, pressure, and responsibility, and you may be carrying such a big load that your legs can no longer support you. Varicose veins are a symbol of carrying too much for too long. At the end of the day, your legs carry you through every stage of life. So maybe this is reason enough to appreciate them, support them, and keep them moving. What do you think of that? Are you feeling unsupported, stuck, burdened, or unable to move forward? Sit on that for a minute. I think you might find that if you have varicose veins, that you may feel a little of that. I think you will. That's all I have for today. Again, thank you so much for listening. Until next week, live in gratitude, keep on moving, and go live your best day yet. Enjoy. If you enjoyed this episode and just can't wait to hear and learn more, don't forget to subscribe to the Aging Mask, a lifestyle medicine podcast wherever you listen to podcasts. I would love to hear your thoughts on this episode. So please leave a review on the Aging Mask Instagram. Or if you don't have socials or you're taking a break, feel free to text me at the Aging Mask 949-236-1529. Once again, 949-236-1529. We can talk about this episode or any of my prior episodes. Let's have a conversation. I'm here and I'm ready to listen, and I would love to help where I can. Bye.