Are spider veins common?

Varicose veins, and spider veins in particular, are a very common disease that affects more people than almost any other medical condition. Nearly all elderly people have changes of some sort in the leg veins. Although women tend to suffer from varicose veins more often than men, the Bonn vein study showed that the difference for spider veins is only small. About 60% of adults in Germany have spider veins or reticular varicose veins, without having developed any large varicose veins. Some 30% of adults have severe varicose veins requiring medical treatment.

Although young women may also have spider veins, the incidence of the condition basically increases with age. The worst part of it is that virtually no-one is immune to it. Fat or thin, athletic or not, spider veins may affect anyone and a glance in the mirror can spoil the rest of the day for you.

In most cases, spider veins do not have any medical significance, but quite the reverse when it comes to the aesthetic aspects.