These unsightly vascular structures often develop with age and are usually the result of a number of potential causes. Hormonal variations associated with pregnancy, oral contraceptives and hormone therapy as well as obesity and prolonged standing contribute to increased pressure in the leg veins and weakening of the vascular structures that facilitate return of blood to the heart. Those pressures can cause existing vessels to dilate or new abnormal vessels to form. Provided the spider veins are not complicated by problems in the deep circulation of the leg, they can be successfully treated with non-invasive laser therapy and/or injection sclerotherapy. Unsightly leg veins typically function very poorly and removing them is not only harmless to the patient, but actually beneficial to the overall circulation of the legs.