Normally, veins return blood from the rest of your body to your heart. The veins in legs have to work against gravity

• Varicose veins- May be caused by weakened valves (incompetent valves) within the veins that allow blood to pool in your veins instead of traveling to your heart
• Spider veins- Thin, red lines/web like networks of blood vessels on the surface of the skin. A mild form of varicose veins

Varicose veins are twisted, enlarged veins.Any superficial vein may become varicosed

Most common site is legs. Due to standing & walking upright increases the pressure in veins of the lower body.

Signs, when No Pain-

• Veins are dark purple or blue in color
• Appear twisted and bulging; they are often like cords on your legs

Signs, when Pain felt-

• An achy or heavy feeling in your legs
• Burning, throbbing, muscle cramping and swelling in your lower legs
• Worsened pain after sitting or standing for a long time
• Itching around one or more of your veins
• Skin discoloration around a varicose vein

*Spider veins are similar to varicose veins, but smaller. Found closer to the skin's surface & are often red/blue.

They occur on legs, can also be found on the face. Vary in size and look like a spider's web.

Veins return blood from the body to the heart, so the blood can be recirculated. To return blood to your heart, the veins in your legs must work against gravity.

Structural aspects in pumping the blood to heart-

• Muscle contractions in your lower legs act as pumps
• Elastic vein walls help blood return to your heart
• Tiny valves in your veins open as blood flows toward your heart then close to stop blood from flowing backward

If Valves are weak/damaged, blood can flow backward & pool in the vein, causing the veins to stretch/twist.

Hence leading to Buldging of veins & formation of spider veins.