Like many other people do, for years I always assumed they were the same thing. I thought that spider veins was just the layman’s term, and varicose veins was the medical term used to describe. It turns out I was totally wrong – they are two similar, but totally different things.

What Are Spider Veins?
To understand the difference, you first need to understand exactly what these really are. Spider veins are actually capillaries under the surface of the skin where blood is not flowing like it should. You see the veins which carry blood are supposed to carry it only in one direction.

But over time, these valves can weaken and not function properly. So instead of the blood moving along in one direction, it can clog up or slow down. This is what happens with spider veins. I’m not a doctor so I could be wrong, but from what I’ve read these usually are not dangerous because they only involve capillaries directly below the skin. So other than their appearance, there’s rarely cause for alarm.

What Are Varicose Veins?
These are very similar to spider veins in that their cause is the same. The difference is that varicose veins are bigger and can also pose a threat to your health. They are larger and can even be painful, sometimes resembling cords that are raised above the skin’s surface. They can cause swelling, aching, and even ulcers on the skin.

Not only are they disrupting the normal flow of blood to your leg, but they can trigger a blood clot. Besides impacting your leg, this is dangerous because the clot actually travel up the blood pathways in your leg all the way up to your lungs. They can also cause infections.  So varicose veins can harm your health and have the potential to even be lethal.

Getting Treatment
So now that you know the difference between spider veins and varicose veins, it’s important to check with your doctor to determine what you have. As mentioned I am not a physician and you can’t just do a self-diagnosis.  The good news is that whatever your case may be, there are now excellent options for spider vein removal and varicose vein treatment.