Body Image: How to Fight Ugly Varicose Veins

I love the cold days of fall and winter because I could do layering and lots of it. It´s a great time for me to showcase my many bright and neutral colored tights which free me from worrying of how my legs look. But now that summer is so round the corner, you hear me talk about summer dresses and statement flat sandals with anticipation! Yet, behind my excitement towards baring more skin, lies a concern that´s often left unsaid, how do I mask my ugly varicose veins?

It´s genetic. I´ve a protruding green vein, which grows thicker and longer as I age, on the back of my left leg, exactly like my mom´s. I was happy that my right leg didn´t have it, but when I reached my early twenties, spider web veins started gracing the side of my right leg. It started small, and then slowly it grows.

I´ve done all the precautions I´ve learned from my mom on how to reduce the growth of varicose veins, which she herself learned the hard way.

Table of Contents

Don´t wash your legs when you´re too tired from the day´s work.

We ladies love to take a shower in the evening. But, having a wash after standing and walking whole day in heels isn´t good for your legs. Not only does it speed the growth of varicose veins, it also gives way to those unpleasant protruding veins on your feet. Washing your feet immediately after taking them off from your day shoes is just as bad. Instead, take a couple of hours to relax your legs, hang them up on the wall as you sit on the sofa watching the evening news to help the blood circulate up and to ease the tense on you muscles.

Don´t walk barefoot on cold floors right after you took your shoes off from being outside

Many says that walking barefoot on cold floor can cause kidney and bladder diseases. Well, there are some studies that prove this claim wrong. However, walking barefoot on cold floor right after taking off your shoes from the outside is very likely to contribute to the growth of green varicose veins and spider veins. You really won´t miss anything if you simply avoid doing it.

Don´t cross your legs.

We know this. In fact, almost all girls are aware that crossing your legs can cause the formation of varicose veins. But often, we simply can´t resist. Afterall, it looks sexy when you cross your legs. But legs without varicose veins are sexier. So when I realize that once again I´m crossing my legs, I remind myself that queens and princesses don´t cross their legs and they look good.

Elevate your legs as you sleep at night.

Until I was in the university, my favorite sleeping position was on my right side with legs curved up to me like a fetus. When later my varicose veins visibly increased their size and started hurting, i figured that the way I sleep at night contribute to the worsening of my varicose. I read that in order to help regulate your blood circulation from you feet up to your legs and body, it´s advised to sleep on your back and use pillows for your feet, elevate both your legs. I found this practice truly helpful especially in eliminating the pain and decreasing the thickness of my varicose veins.

Remember to exercise

Exercising isn´t only good for the health, it also helps to prevent your varicose veins from getting worst by improving your blood´s circulation. Set a time to exercise regularly.

Wear compression stockings

Before your consider other serious medications, try wearing compression stockings first. Compression stockings worn all day steadily squeeze your legs, helping veins and leg muscles move blood more efficiently.

Carry a pocket anti-varicose cream

I discovered the effectiveness of Hirudoid for Scar varicose Vein cream when I was still living in Thailand. There came a point when my varicose veins were really paining and swelling a lot. It happened when I was stress and was quite overworked with no time to exercise. I apply a significant amount of Hirudoid cream on the varicose area and massage in one direction, from the leg towards the thigh.

Do you have varicose veins? How does it affect your body image? What measure do you take to prevent your varicose veins from getting worse?