Broken Capillaries on Legs

Legs, face and nose are the most common areas affected by broken capillaries. Such capillaries appear as red, purple or bluish colored, very thin thread like marks just beneath the surface of the skin. They are also referred as spider veins. They are called spider veins, as they spread like a web or net, just like the spider web. Broken capillaries on the face and legs often result from widening and narrowing of the capillary walls which ultimately cause the capillary walls to tear. This in turn can be affected by several factors, which can be controlled to a great extent.

What Causes Spider Veins on the Legs

They can be caused by the problems in circulation. The blood from the legs flows to the heart against the force of gravity. The back flow of blood due to gravity is prevented by some tiny valves present in our legs. When these valves could not function properly, the circulation of blood gets adversely affected. This condition can be further aggravated by sitting or standing in the same position for a long time. Even the habit of crossing the legs while sitting can increase the risk of developing broken capillaries. Increasing age is an important factor that can lead to this condition

For many individuals, broken capillaries may be a hereditary condition. It has been observed that individuals having family members with broken capillaries are more likely to get this condition in their later life. It is more prevalent among women. Women usually develop spider veins during pregnancy, the reason being an increase in body weight, and the amount of blood flowing in the body, which can cause enlargement of the veins. This in turn, can result in both spider veins and varicose veins. Pregnant women also experience hormonal fluctuations, which is an important cause of broken capillaries. Due to hormonal fluctuations, they are also common among children going through puberty, and women going through menopause. Apart from these, obesity, lack of exercise, tumors in the abdomen, use of birth control pills and leg injury are some other possible causes of broken blood vessels or spider veins on legs.

Spider Veins Treatment

They usually do not cause any major problem, though they can look unsightly. So, they are basically a cosmetic problem. This problem can be treated with sclerotherapy and laser therapy. Sclerotherapy is the procedure, where a solution is injected into the vein, in order to close and harden the vein. The vein and the broken capillaries then shrink away and disappear within a few days. Laser therapy is also used in the treatment. In addition to these, creams containing vitamin K, C and E can also help to heal the spider veins.

It can be prevented with some simple lifestyle changes. Regular exercise is one such effective way that can help to prevent this condition to a great extent. Exercises like walking, swimming can improve the circulation of blood to keep spider veins at bay. At the same time, it is important to avoid sitting or standing in a single position for a long time. If this cannot be avoided, which is the case with many jobs, you can opt for support stockings. You can also take short breaks to relax your legs for a few minutes after standing or sitting for a prolonged time period. Also be sure to avoid wearing tight-fitting clothes and high heel shoes, and the habit of crossing the legs at the knee while sitting. Lastly, maintain a healthy body weight with regular exercises and a balanced diet to prevent both spider veins and varicose veins.