Summer brings with it barbecues, picnics, and plenty of sunshine. Looking to join the fun, you might slip on a pair of shorts or a long, flowy dress, only to discover small, web-like veins in the backs of your legs. Spider veins are increasingly common in older women due to differences in lifestyle, genetics, and hormones. Fortunately, they’re easy to identify and fix, so don’t throw away your summer outfits just yet.
What Are Spider Veins?
Spider veins are small, damaged veins under the skin. They often resemble tree branches or spider webs and appear on the legs. In rare cases, they can show up on the face. The veins are typically red or blue, but they don’t bulge out like varicose veins.What Causes Spider Veins?
Lifestyle factors ranging from prolonged standing or sitting to obesity, aging, a history of blood clots, and a family history of spider veins, can all contribute to the likelihood of developing spider veins yourself. Research suggests that sitting or standing for more than four hours at a time may cause disruptions in blood circulation, making it more difficult for veins to pump blood back to the heart, and increasing your risk of developing spider veins or varicose veins.Why Are Spider Veins More Common as We Age?
Statistics suggest that more than 40 percent of women have some form of vein condition, including spider veins. By the age of 80, that risk increases to almost 80 percent. This is largely because the venous valves stop working correctly.As we get older, the valves in our lower legs tend to be less efficient at pumping blood, due to increased wear and tear. This can cause the valves to become overly stretched to the point where they can no longer close properly. A sedentary lifestyle also increases the risk of this happening. “The lack of physical activity reduces the ‘pumping’ action of the calf muscle on the veins, which helps drive blood back to the heart,” according to Dr. Wishnew. Although spider veins alone aren’t usually a cause for concern, they may lead to other thrombotic health conditions including blood clots if not taken care of.
In addition, hormonal fluctuations have been linked with a higher risk of developing spider veins or varicose veins. The changes in estrogen and progesterone production during menopause and pregnancy can weaken the walls of blood vessels, reducing valve efficiency—so women are more prone to spider veins.
What Can We Do About Spider Veins?
Board-certified dermatologist Dr. Alexander Berlin suggests wearing compression stockings or socks to improve blood circulation in the legs and reduce blood pooling. Try putting on stockings first thing when you wake up in the morning, as your legs will be less prone to swelling compared to later in the day, according to Berlin. Socks can be removed before going to sleep, since your legs will be in a horizontal position.When sitting, it’s recommended to elevate your legs using a chair or an ottoman to ensure they’re in a horizontal position. This helps prevent blood from pooling downward and improves blood flow to the legs, reducing the risk of developing spider veins or varicose veins. Tight clothing can also impede blood flow, so it is discouraged.
Physical activity is another good way to improve blood circulation in your lower extremities. Without exercise, the legs are more likely to develop spider veins. Try doing aerobic exercises that keep your heart pumping, such as walking briskly, biking, gardening, or swimming. Start by doing 10 to 15 minutes of moderate exercise daily, then slowly increase the duration to a comfortable level. Exercising also helps maintain a healthy weight, which in turn frees the legs from the excess pressure that comes with being overweight—less pressure means a lower likelihood that spider veins will develop.
As a preventative measure, your diet is a great starting point when minimizing the lifestyle factors associated with developing spider veins. Dr. Viktoryia Kazlouskaya advises eating healthy, nutritious food like green vegetables, lean protein, omega-3 fats, and fruits to help improve cholesterol levels and vessel wall elasticity. This enables the valves in your legs to transport blood more efficiently.
Eat to Improve Blood Circulation
Consuming beets and leafy green vegetables is great for improving blood circulation, due to the high levels of nitrates, which your body converts into nitric oxide. This is particularly helpful for seniors because it helps relax blood vessels, increasing blood flow to the muscles. Incorporating turmeric into your diet also does wonders for the body, and it can help prevent any venous blockages that may cause spider veins. Beets can be cooked for consumption or juiced for beverages.Tomatoes are high in carotenoids, which help with cardiovascular health. Recent studies have found that they may also help reduce the activity of angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE), which is typically responsible for causing the blood vessels to constrict in an effort to control blood pressure. Tomatoes have been found to work much like ACE inhibitors, helping to dilate blood vessels and improve blood circulation.
Ayurvedic and traditional Chinese medicines have used turmeric for thousands of years because of a special compound within it, curcumin, which acts as an anti-inflammatory, opening blood vessels and improving circulation. The spice can also be taken as a supplement, and has the added benefits of improving mood, heart health, digestion, and memory, as well as reducing pain from arthritis.
Golden Milk Tea Recipe
Nowadays, many people enjoy drinking golden milk tea latte—a drink made with turmeric, ginger, cinnamon, black pepper, milk (or a plant-based substitute), and honey. Black pepper is thought to boost curcumin absorption by up to 2,000 percent. A common beverage in India, golden milk tea is quickly gaining popularity in the Western world. Loaded with antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties, this drink is healthy, tasty, and soothing. Follow this great recipe to make your own cup of spiced, warming golden milk tea.To make one cup:
- 1 ½ cups of whole milk or plant-based substitute (coconut, oat, or almond milk)
- 1 teaspoon of ground turmeric
- 1 to 1 ½ teaspoons of grated ginger (to taste, depending on how spicy you want it; optionally use a mortar and pestle to grind the ginger into a paste)
- ½ teaspoon of ground cinnamon, or a 2-inch cinnamon stick
- A pinch of ground black pepper
- 2 teaspoons of honey
How to Fix Existing Spider Veins
If you’re struggling to conceal existing spider veins, there are a few non-surgical treatments available, such as sclerotherapy, that can help directly target the affected vein. Sclerotherapy involves injecting a concentrated saline solution into the affected vein, causing irritation in the lining of the vein. This blocks the vein, preventing blood from flowing through. Eventually the spider veins are transformed into scar tissue and disappear—most dermatologists consider this the gold standard treatment. It works particularly well for those with mild spider veins.Laser treatment can also be used. Light is directed at the affected vein, destroying it without causing any damage to the skin. Individuals with larger spider veins may need additional laser treatments. Berlin often recommends wearing compression stockings for both treatments, as doing so helps accelerate healing and reduce the risk of revascularization.
It’s good to remember that while treatments like these can help eliminate existing spider veins, they won’t stop them from coming back. You’ll have to continue leading a healthy, active lifestyle to prevent any future vein problems.
