BODY SIGNAL ALERT: SMALL, RED SPIDER VEINS
Description and Possible Medical Problems
If small, red spiderlike veins suddenly appear on your face or neck, you have a condition called spider angioma, or spider telangiectasia. Named for the resemblance these veins bear to spiders, with a round, raised patch in the middle and thin legs that branch out from it, spider angioma is usually caused by excessive alcohol intake or medication. It is most often a condition that occurs in tandem with cirrhosis of the liver, a deterioration of the organ common to alcoholics. Spider angioma can also be caused by the elevated estrogen levels that occur during pregnancy or postmenopausal estrogen therapy.
Sometimes a spider angioma will appear and disappear for no apparent reason. It does not present a danger to your health; the only reason to remove it is for cosmetic purposes. Since spider angiomas commonly appear on the face, many people do opt for surgical treatment. If you have been taking estrogen and the spider angioma has appeared as a result, you should consult with your doctor about reducing the dosage or eliminating it completely.
A spider angioma may be treated with either cryotherapy or cauterization. The recuperation time is short, but you should stay out of the sun until the area is completely healed.
*77\167\8*
