“Why do I have so many spider veins?”

Spider veins are very common, especially in women. They are also more common as we age. There is often a hereditary component. Sometimes spider veins are a reflection of a larger vein not functioning properly. If you have any aching, leg swelling, fatigue or leg cramps, then you should have an evaluation that includes an ultrasound of your leg veins to see which ones may have a problem.

Spider veins come about due to stretching of tiny veins that are normally invisible. This can be due to an inherent weakness in the vein wall (usually inherited), or due to pressure from incompetent deeper veins. An ultrasound can rule out the latter.