What Not To Do If You Have Varicose Veins

Posted on: 16 June 2015

Share

Varicose veins usually appear on middle-aged or older women. Sometimes men get them, but their appearance is usually more disliked by women. If you're a woman with varicose veins, here is some advice on what not to do to help from making them worse.

Bathe in the Sun

If you have varicose veins or the beginnings of varicose veins, or spider veins, avoid exposure to the sun. Getting too much sun will enlarge spider veins by breaking down the collagen beneath the skin. Frequent sun exposure has been known to cause spider veins on the face, especially if you are fair-skinned.

Try to avoid going out in the sunlight for long periods of time. If you must be outside in the sun's exposure, be sure to apply sunscreen, and take care to put it on the backs of your legs and on your face. These are areas people tend to get varicose veins or spider veins.

Mess With Your Hormones

Unfortunately, you can get varicose veins just by going through puberty, being pregnant, or going through menopause. All of these conditions denote a change in your estrogen and progesterone levels. There's usually nothing you can do to prevent these stages of your life, but you can control what you take into your body.

You can keep yourself from ingesting or injecting extra or unnecessary hormones into your body. For example, if you could figure out an alternative to taking birth control pills, you could lessen your chances of getting those unsightly veins, as birth control pills will change your hormonal makeup.

Sit Around All Day Every Day

Sitting in one position for a long time, especially with your legs crossed, will eventually affect circulation in your legs. Standing for too long in one position will also increase your chances of developing varicose veins. If you sit for a long time, change positions frequently and get up to walk around every thirty minutes. If you stand for a long time, shift your weight from one leg to the other occasionally.

Exercise will definitely improve your circulation, so start walking or swimming, or doing anything that gets your heart pumping. Start a regular exercise routine now if you're not doing so already. Increasing your blood circulation will keep you healthier and reduce your chances of getting varicose veins.

If you feel any pain or throbbing from your spider or varicose veins, don't just assume that there's nothing you can do about it. You should see your doctor about it, especially if you see swelling, bleeding, a rash, or any discoloration on your legs where the veins are. Those symptoms may mean you're losing circulation in your legs. If particularly unsightly or troublesome, varicose veins can also be treated with surgery at places like Premier Surgical Associates.