spider vein prevention (painful, ankle, pregnancy, skin care)

[pinkpocketbooks]

i'm 27 and i sit at a desk all day for work. i have a very healthy weight, but i don't get a lot of exercise (i'm trying to change that).

about a year ago i began noticing that my spider veins on hips and thighs are increasing and becoming darker. i know that i can not get rid of these (w/o surgery anyways), but i was hoping there are actions that i can take to slow down the growth of new ones.

other than exercise, not crossing my legs while i sit at work, getting up from my desk to get the blood flowing, eating a healthy diet, etc ...
is there any sort of vitamin or natural supplement that will help? i'm researching and reading about these different things. i have no idea what is best. any suggestions?
- niacin
- horse chestnut
- butcher's broom

[groove1]

Magnesium...but be very careful with the spider veins. Research DVT (Deep Vein Thrombosis) and bloot clots. It also helps to move your feet/legs often if you are sitting at a desk.

[stone-ground]

Horse chestnut is supposed to be very good for varicous veins.

Also CoQ10 is good for adding oxygen to your blood and overall blood circulation. So that might help also.

[estakronbergmd]

Sclerotherapy is the best tried and true treatment. These are tiny injections of a salt water solution into the tiny vessels. Insist on the doctor performing the procedure.I don't feel lasers in my experience work well for this treatment. Be sure the doctor is experienced in this procedure.

[nay624]

ted hose
they are very thick stockings....keeps the bllo return flowing up the veins.
used in the hosp to prevent dvt's

[pitt_transplant]

Throw one of those cycle things under the desk. It will help with circulation.
arnica gel is good for the swollen ones you have now.

[Flamingo13]

But: spider veins are different from varicose veins. I'm interested as well. I know: don't cross your legs. I've recently developed some spider veins (older than the poster) - but I know someone who was her/his age (20's) that had painful varicose veins. I've been meaning to Google spider veins...maybe just age-related?

[crazyma]

vitamin K cream...from a health store will help, can't hurt

[emilybh]

[quote=pinkpocketbooks;3784343]i'm 27 and i sit at a desk all day for work. i have a very healthy weight, but i don't get a lot of exercise (i'm trying to change that).

about a year ago i began noticing that my spider veins on hips and thighs are increasing and becoming darker. i know that i can not get rid of these (w/o surgery anyways), but i was hoping there are actions that i can take to slow down the growth of new ones.

other than exercise, not crossing my legs while i sit at work, getting up from my desk to get the blood flowing, eating a healthy diet, etc ...
is there any sort of vitamin or natural supplement that will help? i'm researching and reading about these different things. i have no idea what is best. any suggestions?
- niacin

See my response at "Spider Veins- Help" about the supplement by Natural Balance called Great Legs. It is clinically proven to reduce appearance of varicose veins. There are testimonials from users you can read on the other thread.

[Jessie85]

I can understand your concern about spider veins. Even if they don’t feel anything – like no pain, tenderness or itchiness, the sight of it sometimes worries us especially as a woman, we care so much on how we look even if those are just tiny veins to begin with.

There are only a few ways for us to get rid and prevent the development of spider veins , but maybe knowing about what causes spider veins can be a good starting point. We should remember that the cause of spider veins cannot be isolated into one or two. There are many causes under different conditions.Exposure to extreme temperature variations, wind and sun damage, use of oral contraceptives, hormonal issues particularly in women, aging, and genetic predisposition are among the most common causes for spider vein.
• Aging
• Sun exposure
• hormonal shifts
• Smoking
• Drinking alcohol
• Obesity
• Occupation
• Poor blood circulation (vein health)
• Heredity
• Birth control

While the incidence of spider vein is more in women, men can also be afflicted with this problem particularly with aging. In women however, a larger incidence is observed. Use of oral contraceptives, certain cosmetic applications, issues relating to pregnancy, obesity or overweight are among the common causes when we consider spider vein occurrence in women.

Men who spend large amounts of time outdoors in sun and wind in discharge of their occupational responsibilities have been found to be more susceptible to spider vein problems. The singular factor common to all these conditions is poor blood circulation within the metabolic system. The blood that gets pumped up to the heart has a fair distance to travel on its return path, before reaching the legs. The causes of spider veins can be any thing from genetic to traumatic.

Preventing spider vein can become easier once this is understood and facial skin care can reduce the occurrence of broken or seeping capillaries.

However, below are some tips that may help in the prevention of varicose veins and spider veins:
• Elevate your legs when possible, keeping your feet positioned higher than heart level.
• Exercise daily. Walking, climbing stairs, cycling and swimming keep your calf muscles in motion to activate the calf muscle pump. This reduces pooling and pressure in the veins.
• Move your legs frequently. Flexing your ankles periodically will pump the blood out of your legs (simulating walking). During periods of prolonged sitting or standing, flex your ankles 10 times and repeat this every 10 minutes. Try to avoid sitting for extended periods throughout your day.
• Support compression hose. These provide external graduated counter-pressure to aid in venous blood flow to the heart. They reduce pooling and pressure in the veins. They also may reduce the risk of forming a deep vein blood clot. Consider wearing them during long plane or car rides.
• Maintain your ideal body weight to reduce excess pressure on your legs.
• Avoid prolonged sitting and standing. On long car or plane trips activate your calf muscle pump by moving your feet up and down frequently as described above. You should also consider stopping for short walks every few hours.
• Avoid excessive heat on your legs, such as hot tubs and hot baths. Heat will tend to increase vein distention and lead to more pooling of blood.
• Depending on your situation, the first approach before offering varicose vein treatments is the use of compression stockings, or also known as compression hoses or compression socks. These may help relieve some of the symptoms and move blood more efficiently through your legs. There are a number of brands to choose. These stockings have been proven to help with the treatment of varicose veins and spider veins. [mod] need at least 10 other posts to make specific recommendations[/mod]
I hope this info helped you.

Jessie