Today’s Medical Minute is all about Telangiectasia, otherwise known as spider veins or spider varicosities. Telangiectasia is not to be confused with varicose veins – a painful condition involving larger veins of the legs and feet.

Telangiectasia are dilated tiny blood vessels on the surface of the skin. These tiny dilated vessels or capillaries can be seen on any part of the body including the face and breasts. When spider veins are seen on the breasts, the condition is usually caused by pregnancy, hereditary diseases, binding clothing or breast implants that are too large for the surrounding tissue.

When breast implants are too large they can compress the veins under the skin surface causing them to dilate. This condition can be reversed by wearing loose-fitting clothing, re-doing the implants or adjusting the size of the implants.

20% of women who undergo breast implant surgery tend to choose implants that are too large for their frame. This leads to an unnatural breast appearance, sagging breasts and other problems including Telangiectasias.

In cases where spider veins do not resolve on their own, they are usually treated with laser therapy or injections which dissolves the veins.

This has been your Medical Minute!

(Photo source)