When the valves in a vein weaken, blood may begin to flow in the wrong direction and can get backed up, causing varicose veins. The vein becomes enlarged and twisted and may possibly be accompanied by pain, sores, or blood clots. If left untreated, varicose veins can get worse and lead to complications, like ulcers. On the other hand, spider veins are smaller, discolored, and dilated capillaries, but they also caused by a backup of blood. The main difference between the two is that spider veins are smaller and look like a spider web. Additionally, they generally do not cause pain and can be addressed with cosmetic treatments.
Both spider veins and varicose veins can be caused by things like pregnancy, prolonged standing, obesity, genetics, blood disorders, or abdominal problems and occur most commonly in the legs just under the skin. In some instances they occur simultaneously .
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