Dermatologists: this is how you prevent spider veins

With these tips you might be able to keep spider veins at bay

Even though these small veins are usually completely harmless, we generally don’t welcome them when we see them. And we’d try anything to make sure we never get them. So how can you prevent spider veins? Find out more below.
Spider veins
Their official name is telangiectasias, or thread veins. And all they are is a collection of small veins under your skin. They are thin but because they’re usually located close to the surface of your skin, they can be seen on the outside of your body. Usually, these tiny veins are completely harmles. And you wouldn’t really need to get rid of them or be scared of getting them. But if you do want to keep the spider veins at bay, there are some things you can try.

1. Exercise
According to experts, the first thing that keeps spider veins away, is exercise. Adam Tinklepaugh, a board-certified dermatologist, dual fellowship-trained cosmetic surgeon, and Mohs skin cancer surgeon based in New York City, told Byrdie: “If you have family members with spider veins, you may be at increased risk of developing them. The most common way to prevent spider veins is to prevent blood from collecting in your leg veins. Exercise moves blood in and out of our veins and helps prevent it from pooling in your legs. If you spend much of your day sitting, it’s important to get up and walk throughout the day.”

2. Avoid the things that cause spider veins
If you want to make sure that you don’t get them, it can be good to have some basic understanding of where they come from. Joie Tavernise, a New York City-based skin expert, medical esthetician, and the founder of JTAV Clinical Skincare, told Byrdie: “… There is a wide range of causes, including UV and heat exposure, how much alcohol you consume, genetic factors, environmental irritants, skin conditions such as rosacea, pregnancy and hormone fluctuation, and even pressure to your head from vomiting or sneezing.” And so, Tavernise advises people to not use hot water in the shower or while washing your face, to limit your alcohol intake and to use sun screen on a daily basis. Even when it’s winter.

3. Special socks
If you really want to go all out in preventing spider veins from making an appearance, you can try to wear compression stockings. Rebecca Marcus, a Dallas, Texas-based board-certified dermatologist and the founder of Maei MD, told Byrdie: “Spider veins occur when backflow prevention valves in veins weaken or fail, allowing blood to pool in the vessel instead of flowing straight back to the heart. Increased pressure in the legs is known to worsen spider veins. Reasons for increased pressure include obesity, pregnancy, and spending a lot of time on your feet. Wearing compression stockings can help to decrease pressure in these vessels, as can leg elevation.”

If you do have spider veins, there are some things you can do to treat them like laser therapy or Sclerotherapy. But if you’re interested in any of these options, it would always be wise to talk to a doctor beforehand.