Have you seen a group of blood vessels right under your skin? If so then it might be something called spider angioma cirrhosis. In most cases, spider angioma is a non-cancerous condition so you won’t have to worry about it containing cancer cells. There are various causes of this condition including liver disease. Like other health conditions, it’s important to know information like the symptoms, causes, and treatments. That will help you to deal with it as effectively as possible. For example, it’s important to know the best ways to treat it.
Fun Fact: The total length of all human vessels is over 60,000 miles (96,500+ km).
In most cases, you shouldn’t worry about the spider angioma itself. However, there are some situations when it can be a problem. If there are 5+ groups of blood vessels or a red area around them then these are signs that the situation might be more serious. The main cause of the symptom like liver disease can also be serious, so it’s important to deal with them as effectively as possible to help reduce complications you might experience. You should also watch for changes in the symptoms so you can take the necessary steps.
What Is Spider Angioma Cirrhosis?
As the name suggests this particular type is caused by cirrhosis, which is late-stage liver disease. However, there are other causes so it’s important to know the main ones so you can deal with the condition as effectively as possible.
Liver disease takes place in the vital organ. It includes several stages that start with fatty liver disease. It can lead to more serious conditions like cirrhosis. When that happens the scarred liver can cause other symptoms including spider angioma.
Spider angioma is a group of blood vessels that are visible just below the patient’s skin. They usually are located around a dot or bump. As the name suggests the blood vessels’ pattern looks like a spider web or spider body.
In most cases, this condition doesn’t require any treatment and will go away as time passes. Statistics show that kids have 1+ during their lives. The condition is also very common among pregnant women.
While the blood vessels are very visible in most cases you can ignore it and it will disappear over time. They usually develop in areas like the face. It’s a good idea to get it checked out even though there usually aren’t any complications. Your doctor can help to check out the condition and provide treatment when necessary.
The “spider” isn’t visible. There’s not much besides the red dot and the blood vessels that extend outwards from it. Another way to tell if you have this skin condition is to press down on the spider web. If it stops being red then you probably have spider angioma.
There are still some complications to watch out for. Sometimes there are 5+ blood vessel groups in one area. Another complication is when the red bump/area around the blood vessels breaks open then start bleeding. In both cases, see your doctor to get it checked out.
Spider Angioma Cirrhosis: Symptoms/Causes
In most situations, the only symptom is the actual blood vessels. There could also be one red dot located in the middle of the cluster. However, this isn’t always true. The thin blood vessels make a web-like shape and can be different colors like red, purple, or blue.
These “spiders” can happen in any place on the human body. However, it most often shows up on areas like the legs, neck, face and other areas exposed to the sun. There also might be a burning/aching feeling in the blood vessel group. This takes place most often when the blood vessels are located are on the patient’s legs.
In most situations, spider angioma isn’t something to be too concerned about. This is especially true if there are no other health conditions and other symptoms. However, if you have cirrhosis then it’s important to manage the liver disease effectively. This can help to minimize other symptoms you might experience.
However, there are times when you should contact your doctor about the condition. If you have the spider web blood vessels on your skin and you feel tired/weak/bloated or the skin/eyes look yellowish then you should get a check-up.
You should do that to find out if you have any liver conditions. However, if you don’t have any other symptoms then just wait until you have a checkup to show your doctor. He/She can help to check it out for you.
Doctors are not entirely sure what causes this condition. It’s common for arteries/capillaries to appear near the skin ad look like small webs. However, this condition is a little different. There seem to be various factors that can cause this condition;
- Injury
- Liver disease
- Hormone changes
- Sun exposure
This condition is actually a common symptom of liver disease. So it’s important to see a doctor if you have this symptom.
Spider Angioma Cirrhosis: Treatment/Prevention
In many situations, you won’t have to receive any treatment. That’s because it goes away on its own. In most cases, you shouldn’t worry too much about the spider webs. However, it depends if there are other symptoms like itching/burning. If that’s the case then you should get it checked out.
The main reason you should see a doctor if you experience discomfort. If that’s the case then it’s critical to see a doctor. You have many options if you want to have webs treated for cosmetic reasons.
Laser treatment is one of the most popular options. This can help the spiders to fade/disappear. The light/heat might cause a little pain/discomfort. However, it should end when the laser gets removed.
Usually, 2-3 treatments are required to help the spider nevus to fade completely. Sometimes more might be needed for different reasons.
In terms of prevention, you might be unable to prevent them 100%. If there’s a family history then there’s not much you can do because genetics is a factor. There are no known steps you can take to prevent this condition.
If you have cirrhosis then it’s important to manage your liver disease as effectively as possible. That can help to reduce signs of the condition as much as possible. Make sure to talk to your doctor about what steps you can take to minimize this condition.
In the case you have alcoholic cirrhosis you should definitely consider reducing your alcohol intake. This might help to reduce your chance of various symptoms like spider webs under your skin. There are other ways you can manage your liver disease effectively. Make sure to talk to your doctor about these issues.
It can be tough to deal with liver disease, especially cirrhosis. If you take the right steps to manage the disease then you can reduce symptoms like spider angioma cirrhosis.
