Spider angioma - wikipedia Spider angioma Spider angioma Spider nevus Classification and external resources Specialty dermatology ICD - 10 I78. 1 ( ILDS I78. 11 ) ICD - 9 - CM 448.1 DiseasesDB 12302 MedlinePlus 001095 eMedicine derm / 293 ( edit on Wikidata ) A spider angioma ( also known as a nevus araneus, spider nevus, vascular spider, and spider telangiectasia ) is a type of telangiectasis ( swollen blood vessels ) found slightly beneath the skin surface, often containing a central red spot and reddish extensions which radiate outwards like a spider 's web. They are common and may be benign, presenting in around 10 -- 15 % of healthy adults and young children. However, having more than three spider angiomas is likely to be abnormal and may be a sign of liver disease. It also suggests the probability of esophageal varices. Contents 1 Distribution 2 Cause 3 Treatment 4 See also 5 References Distribution Spider angiomas are found only in the distribution of the superior vena cava, and are thus commonly found on the face, neck, upper part of the trunk, and arms. They may also be present on the backs of the hands and fingers in young children. Cause Spider angiomas form due to failure of the sphincteric muscle surrounding a cutaneous arteriole. The central red dot is the dilated arteriole and the red `` spider legs '' are small veins carrying away the freely flowing blood. If momentary pressure is applied, it is possible to see the emptied veins refilling from the centre. No other angiomas show this phenomenon. The dilation, in turn, is caused by increased estrogen levels in the blood. Many pregnant women, or women using hormonal contraception, have spider angiomas, due to high estrogen levels in their blood. Individuals with significant hepatic disease also show many spider angiomas, as their liver can not metabolize circulating estrogens, specifically estrone, which derives from the androgen androstenedione. About 33 % of patients with cirrhosis have spider angiomas. As such, microhemorrhages may be observed as spider angiomas. Treatment Spider angiomas are asymptomatic and usually resolve spontaneously. This is common in the case of children, although they may take several years to disappear. If the spider angiomas are associated with pregnancy, they may resolve after childbirth. In women taking oral contraceptives, they may resolve after stopping these contraceptives. The spider angiomas associated with liver disease may resolve when liver function increases or when a liver transplant is performed. For spider angiomas on the face, techniques such as electrodesiccation and laser treatment can be used to remove the lesion. There is a small risk of a scar, although the results are generally good. Spider angiomas can recur after treatment. See also List of cutaneous conditions References Jump up ^ Rapini, Ronald P. ; Bolognia, Jean L. ; Jorizzo, Joseph L. ( 2007 ). Dermatology : 2 - Volume Set. St. Louis : Mosby. pp. 1621 -- 22. ISBN 1 - 4160 - 2999 - 0. Jump up ^ `` spider angioma '' at Dorland 's Medical Dictionary ^ Jump up to : Nevus Araneus at eMedicine Jump up ^ Udell, Jacob A. ; Wang, Charlie S. ; Tinmouth, Jill ; FitzGerald, J. Mark ; Ayas, Najib T. ; Simel, David L. ; Schulzer, Michael ; Mak, Edwin ; Yoshida, Eric M. ( 22 February 2012 ). `` Does This Patient With Liver Disease Have Cirrhosis ? ''. JAMA. 307 ( 8 ) : 832 -- 842. doi : 10.1001 / jama. 2012.186. Retrieved 11 April 2018 -- via jama.jamanetwork.com. Jump up ^ McCluskey DR Journal of Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh 2004, 34 : 104 - 105 Jump up ^ Li CP, Lee FY, Hwang SJ, et al. ( 1999 ). `` Spider angiomas in patients with liver cirrhosis : role of alcoholism and impaired liver function ''. Scand. J. Gastroenterol. 34 ( 5 ) : 520 -- 3. doi : 10.1080 / 003655299750026272. PMID 10423070. Jump up ^ Geronemus, R.G. ( 1991 ). `` Treatment of spider telangiectases in children using the flashlamp - pumped pulsed dye laser ''. Pediatr Dermatol. 8 ( 1 ) : 61 -- 3. doi : 10.1111 / j. 1525 - 1470.1991. tb00843. x. PMID 1862028. Cardiovascular disease ( vessels ) ( I70 -- I99, 440 -- 456 ) Arteries, arterioles and capillaries Inflammation Arteritis Aortitis Buerger 's disease Peripheral artery disease Arteriosclerosis Atherosclerosis Foam cell Fatty streak Atheroma Intermittent claudication Critical limb ischemia Monckeberg 's arteriosclerosis Arteriolosclerosis Hyaline Hyperplastic Cholesterol LDL Oxycholesterol Trans fat Stenosis Carotid artery stenosis Renal artery stenosis Other Aortoiliac occlusive disease Degos disease Erythromelalgia Fibromuscular dysplasia Raynaud 's phenomenon Aneurysm / dissection / pseudoaneurysm torso : Aortic aneurysm Abdominal aortic aneurysm Thoracic aortic aneurysm Aneurysm of sinus of Valsalva Aortic dissection Coronary artery aneurysm head / neck Intracranial aneurysm Intracranial berry aneurysm Carotid artery dissection Vertebral artery dissection Familial aortic dissection Vascular malformation Arteriovenous fistula Arteriovenous malformation Telangiectasia Hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia Vascular nevus Cherry hemangioma Halo nevus Spider angioma Veins Inflammation Phlebitis Venous thrombosis / Thrombophlebitis primarily lower limb Deep vein thrombosis abdomen Hepatic veno - occlusive disease Budd -- Chiari syndrome May -- Thurner syndrome Portal vein thrombosis Renal vein thrombosis upper limb / torso Mondor 's disease Paget -- Schroetter disease head Cerebral venous sinus thrombosis Post-thrombotic syndrome Varicose veins Gastric varices Portacaval anastomosis Caput medusae Esophageal varices Hemorrhoid Varicocele Other Chronic venous insufficiency Chronic cerebrospinal venous insufficiency Superior vena cava syndrome Inferior vena cava syndrome Venous ulcer Arteries or veins Angiopathy Macroangiopathy Microangiopathy Embolism Pulmonary embolism Cholesterol embolism Paradoxical embolism Thrombosis Vasculitis Blood pressure Hypertension Hypertensive heart disease Hypertensive emergency Hypertensive nephropathy Essential hypertension Secondary hypertension Renovascular hypertension Benign hypertension Pulmonary hypertension Systolic hypertension White coat hypertension Hypotension Orthostatic hypotension Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Spider_angioma&oldid=835933729 '' Categories : Dermal and subcutaneous growths Diseases of arteries, arterioles and capillaries Hidden categories : Infobox medical condition All articles with unsourced statements Articles with unsourced statements from August 2014 Talk Contents About Wikipedia Deutsch Français Italiano Nederlands 日本 語 Svenska Edit links This page was last edited on 11 April 2018, at 17 : 18. 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Question: why spider naevi are in the upper half of body
Answer: found only in the distribution of the superior vena cava