Teleangiectasias: confluence of dilated intradermal venules less than 1 mm in calibre and commonly called spider veins.
Reticular Veins: dilated tortuous bluish subdermal veins 1-3 mm in diameter.
Varicose Veins: dilated +/- tortuous veins 3mm or greater in diameter, when measured in the upright position, as an isolated feature or associated with other symptoms. Varicose Veins can be complicated by superficial venous thrombosis and thrombophlebitis. Rarely, varicose veins can actively bleed from minimal trauma or normal skin contact. This is more common in the older person with fragile skin, with advanced VV disease or due to perforator disease and can cause vigorous or large volume bleeding due to the increased pressure within the superficial system.
Superficial thrombosis and thrombophlebitis can complicate varicose veins. It is due to clotting of the stagnant blood in the dilated varicosed vein (thrombosis) and subsequent inflammation of the clotted blood (thrombophlebitis). It presents with pain in the affected segment of vein(s) and superficial vein distribution. When superimposed with inflammation the affected vein and adjacent tissue become swollen, erythematous and very sore to touch.