INTRODUCTION
Millions of men and women are bothered by spider veins—those small, unsightly clusters of red, blue, or purple veins that usually appear on the thighs, calves and ankles and occasionally on the face. An estimated fifty percent of the adult female population and fifteen to twenty percent of men share this cosmetic problem.

Spider veins are small, thin capillaries that lie close to the surface of the skin. They are connected to a larger venous system, though they are not an essential part of it since they do not actually carry blood to the heart.

Many factors can contribute to the development of spider veins, including:

• pregnancy
  
• weight gain
  
• chronic sun exposure
  
• activities that demand prolonged standing or sitting
  
• heredity
  
• certain medications, such as birth control pills or hormone replacement medication