Varicose veins are enlarged veins, while varicose veins are a smaller version of the same condition.
Women develop this circulatory condition about twice as often as men. Although unsightly, varicose veins and varicose veins do not always require medical attention. When they do, sclerotherapy, injecting a solution into the vein to force the blood to reroute to healthier veins, is a common treatment. In more severe cases, surgery may be required.
These veins can cause a dull discomfort that can get worse as you get older, but severe pain is uncommon. Symptoms of discomfort may include:
- Swelling in your legs and feet
- Tired leg muscles and night cramps
- An itchy or burning sensation in the skin of your feet and ankles
You can prevent varicose veins and varicose veins by:
- Be more active
- Losing weight or maintaining a healthy weight
- Do not cross your legs when sitting
- It does not stand for long periods of time
Watch Now: Things You May Not Know About Varicose Veins
Appearance and Location
Varicose veins have features that you can see through your skin, including:
- They are red or blue in color.
- They have the appearance of cords running just under your skin that look twisted and swollen.
Varicose veins in one leg.
Staras/Getty Images
These veins appear in different parts of your body, usually in the lower half, such as:
- The backs of your calves
- The inside of your feet
- Anywhere from groin to ankle
- In your vagina or around your anus, during pregnancy
Spider veins are similar to varicose veins, but there are differences:
- They are smaller.
- They are often red, but sometimes blue in color.
- It is closer to the surface of your skin.
- They look like a spider’s web, with short, jagged lines.
- They cover either a very small or a very large area of skin.
When you check your body for spider veins, you can often find them on your legs and face.
Spider veins on a leg.
eldemir/Getty Images
Reasons
Your veins are part of your circulatory system. As blood returns to your heart, healthy, strong veins act as one-way valves to prevent blood from flowing backwards.
When the veins weaken, some of the blood can leak back, collect there, and then become congested or blocked. This causes the veins to become abnormally large, resulting in either varicose veins or varicose veins.
Science has yet to discover exactly what causes weakened one-way valves, but several factors make you more likely to develop them, including:
- Heredity or birth with weak venous valves
- Hormonal changes during puberty, pregnancy and menopause (when your period has stopped for 12 months), as well as from taking hormones such as estrogen and progesterone or birth control pills
- Pregnancy, which causes enlarged veins due to a significant increase in blood volume
- An enlarged uterus during pregnancy, which puts more pressure on the veins (with improvement after delivery)
Other factors that weaken venous valves and contribute to varicose and spider veins include:
- Aging
- Portliness
- Leg injury
- Prolonged standing—commonly associated with work for nurses, teachers, and food service workers
Prevention
Varicose veins and varicose veins can be difficult to prevent for some people, especially if they are hereditary or have other risk factors. However, there are many things you can do to reduce your chances of developing them.
Excercise
Regular exercise can improve leg strength, circulation and vein strength. Exercises that work your leg muscles can help prevent new varicose or spider veins from forming. Low-impact exercise such as walking, cycling, swimming or yoga can reduce the symptoms and appearance of any existing varicose veins.
Maintain a healthy weight
Obesity can increase the risk of varicose veins and varicose veins. Losing excess weight can reduce pressure on your legs and improve circulation.
Raise your legs
Do not cross your legs when sitting and try to raise your legs when resting. Elevating your legs allows pooled blood to drain and flow back to your heart.
Avoid sitting or standing a lot
Being sedentary for long periods of time can allow blood to pool in your legs, which puts you at risk of developing varicose veins and varicose veins. If you sit for long periods, it is recommended to get up and walk around every 30 minutes. If you’re always on your feet, try taking breaks every 30 minutes.
Wear compression socks
Wearing compression stockings (special, comfortable stockings to improve circulation) can prevent varicose veins from forming or getting worse. They work by compressing the veins in the lower leg, which helps promote blood flow back to the heart.
Treatment
There is no cure for varicose veins or varicose veins, but there are treatments available that can reduce their appearance and relieve symptoms. Conservative care, such as lifestyle changes and compression therapy, can be used to manage mild cases. This includes elevating your feet several times a day, exercising, not standing or sitting for long periods of time, and wearing compression stockings.
The most common treatment for small varicose veins or varicose veins is sclerotherapy. This involves injecting a chemical into the affected vein, which causes the walls to swell and stick together so that blood can no longer flow through it.
Laser therapy can also be used to treat problematic veins. Surgical removal of the vein may be necessary for more severe cases.
A word from Verywell
Varicose veins and varicose veins are quite common. Some people—especially those who are older, female, overweight, or inactive—are at greater risk of developing the condition.
Although there is no cure for varicose veins or varicose veins, there are some things you can do to reduce your chance of developing them. If your varicose veins are becoming bothersome, talk to your healthcare provider to determine what treatment options may be best for you.
