What are the Types of Varicose Veins?
Venous insufficiency creates 3 types of varicose veins in our legs according to their size and proximity to the skin.
1. VARICOUS VEINS
If you have bulging green veins that are above the skin, we call them varicose veins. Although it is mostly considered as a cosmetic or insignificant disease, this group of diseases, which we have gathered under the title of venous failure, internal varicose veins, is a very serious health problem. Its incidence increases with age, although it is more common in women, varicose veins are seen in the general population at a rate of 60-70% at the age of 70.
WHAT ARE VARICOUS VEINS?
Varicose veins are usually a symptom of chronic venous insufficiency. This disease, which causes pain, swelling and cramps in the early stages, can cause serious health problems in future if left untreated.
These include blood clots and venous ulcers even embolus or death. Venous ulcers are open wounds that do not heal, have a high risk of infection, and reduce your quality of life. In advanced cases with thrombus formation. it can be in the form of superficial thrombophlebitis, which is not life-threatening, painful, reddened with fever, or it becomes a serious medical emergency that can be life-threatening when it becomes deep vein thrombosis.
COMPLAINTS OF VARICOUS VESSELS
- Pain: Varicose legs with chronic venous insufficiency usually suffers from pain. The pain is usually a feeling of heaviness. Typically you cannot point out the exact place of the pain .
- Swelling: Swelling, starting from the foot and ankle, causes a doctor to be consulted with the feeling that my shoes have shrunk or the back of the foot is swollen. In advanced cases, there may be diffuse edema.
- Itching or burning sensation: Although it is often confused with dry skin, these are complaints that can be symptoms of venous disease.
- Burning or itching: In advanced stages of venous insufficiency, blood cells and fluids may leak out of the vein and accumulate due to very slowing of blood flow and ponding. Inflammation and deterioration of blood flow in this way will cause deterioration of oxygenation; a red, itchy leg and a burning sensation.
- Restlessness: During the day, our patients may complain about a tired and indescribable restlessness, especially towards the evening.
- Restless legs syndrome: Restless legs syndrome is a syndrome that is often moody, indescribable, and forces you to move your leg. Many people describe it as itching, restlessness, lack of control. Symptoms usually begin at night and can be chronic or sporadic. Restless leg syndrome; It can make it difficult for you to fall asleep, as well as wake you from your sleep. Although the exact cause is unknown. Vein disease, is among the causes of restless legs syndrome.
- Cramp: Cramps that usually come at night can be mild or wake you up from your sleep. Long standing or sitting can trigger it.
- Discoloration: Blood cells and fluids may leak out of the vein and accumulate due to very slowing of blood flow and ponding. If the inflammation that will occur in this way is not treated in the following period, it will be a brown and shiny skin, followed by ulcerations.
- Dry skin: An underlying venous insufficiency can cause dry, rough, tense skin.
- Not being able to stand for a long time: In advanced patients, standing for a long time due to ponding will increase the complaints and the need for rest will arise.
- Blood Clots (phlebitis): In the advanced stages of the disease, painful, feverish superficial vein thrombosis may form due to the slowing of the blood flow.
- Ulceration: Wounds, which are now the last stage of venous insufficiency, will become infected frequently, reducing your quality of life.
- Characteristic of the pain: The rhythm of the pain during the day, its relief when the patient's feet are lifted up, and a support is placed under it or cold water is kept, is a very typical finding for chronic venous disease.
2. RETICULAR VEINS
If we divide our varicose veins into 3, the reticular veins are located in the middle. We call the large ones as varicose veins, the median veins as reticular veins and the smaller ones as spider varicose veins. Our reticular veins are usually violet-purple colored veins with a diameter of 1-3 mm with little or no swelling from the skin. They often cause pain and discomfort.
CAUSES OF RETICULAR VEINS
Although reticular vessels are usually the precursors of an underlying venous disease, the most important risk factor is genetic predisposition, as in many diseases.
Other risk factors:
- Age
- Female Gander
- Pregnancy
- Smoking use
- Hypertension
- Diabetes
COMPLAINTS OF RETICULAR VEINS
Burning sensation, itching, redness, swelling, tenderness. Reticular vessels are usually not isolated and often accompanied by spider veins.
PROTECTION FROM RETICULAR VEINS
Since genetic predisposition and female gender are unavoidable risk factors, we will focus on here is preventable risk factors. In other words, if you have venous insufficiency it should be treated, to lose weight, to reevaluate birth control pills, to have an active lifestyle and to review the hair removal and cosmetic interventions that we call stimulating the skin. However, no matter how much precautions we take, genetic predisposition and female hormones are in the first place here as well. Unfortunately, the answer to the question why some women have it and some do not, is unknown.
TREATMENT IN RETICULAR VESSELS
The first step is to evaluate whether you have an underlying venous insufficiency. This will simply be answered with a doppler ultrasonography. In the following period, if you have venous insufficiency it must be treated first, that is, you need to have surgery with laser. Followed by the treatment of your reticular veins, with liquid or foam sclerotherapy and the veingogh device or external laser (exotherme) in our clinic.
3. SPIDER VEINS
Have you seen thin, capillary, red veins on your legs or anywhere on your body? You guys have capillary varicose veins, we call Spiders or Spider veins. These veins are visible subcutaneous veins. They may appear as red, usually below 1 mm.
Unlike the veins we call varicose, spider veins are usually not swollen and painful from the skin. Although these are thought to be cosmetic and usually do not cause any complaints, unfortunately spider veins can be a symptom of an underlying venous insufficiency.
COMPLAINTS OF SPIDER VEINS
Except for visual complaints, spider varicose veins can cause many complaints.
- Swelling in the involved area
- Tingling
- Numbness
- Combustion
- Itching
- There may be tenderness and redness in the affected veins.
CAUSES OF SPIDER INVENTION
Spider veins can usually be a symptom of an underlying venous insufficiency, vein disease, and may appear more rapidly in the presence of auxiliary factors that we will list below.
- Family history
- Long standing periods
- Obesity
- Pregnancy
- Deep vein thrombosis (thrombus phlebitis)
- Use of birth control pills
- Hair removal or other cosmetic treatments that irritate the skin.
PROTECTION FROM SPIDER VEINS
Since genetics and susceptibility to female gender are unavoidable risk factors, the subject we will focus on here is preventable risk factors. In other words, if you have venous insufficiency, it should be treated, losing weight, to reevaluate birth control pills, to re-evaluate an active lifestyle and to reconsider hair removal and cosmetic interventions, which we call stimulating the skin. However, no matter how much precautions we take, genetic predisposition and female hormones are in the first place here. Unfortunately, the answer to the question why some women have it and some don't is unknown.
TREATMENT IN SPIDER VEINS
The first step of treatment is to evaluate whether you have an underlying venous insufficiency, this will simply be answered with a doppler ultrasonography. In the following period, if you have internal varicose veins, your internal varices must be treated first, that is, you need to have surgery with laser. The treatment of your spider veins, our options here are liquid or foam sclerotherapy and the veingogh device or external laser (exotherme) we use in our clinic.