How Are Spider Veins & Pregnancy Related?
Pregnancy increases blood volume in veins to support the fetus and expanding uterus. This added fluid in your veins causes them to stretch and expand and elevates endovenous blood pressure. As a result, tiny spider veins can form and branch out from the overburdened vein, creating those web-like clusters of veins you see at the skin’s surface. In addition, hormonal fluctuations and pressure from the uterus on pelvic veins can both increase blood pressure and contribute to spider veins.
Spider veins are especially likely to develop during pregnancy if you have Chronic Venous Insufficiency, a common disease that involves valve failure in the veins. When valves fail, blood pools and regresses through the vein, causing excess pressure that generates spider veins. Click HERE to discuss spider veins and pregnancy with our Harvard-trained vein doctors in New Jersey.
Varicose Veins & Spider Veins Treatment: Safe If Pregnant?
Vein doctors usually advise pregnant patients to wait until after delivery for spider veins treatment. While the treatments are very safe, some methods inject medication or adhesives into the vein, and others apply thermal energy to the vein, so we treat veins after delivery since the fetus receives nutrients from the mother’s veins during pregnancy.
However, it’s wise to schedule a consultation with our New Jersey vein doctors while pregnant, for several reasons. We can identify any vein diseases, blood clots, or risks associated with your veins that might require prompt attention. In addition, we can plan the course of treatment that’s advised after delivery, so you’ll be booked and ready to eliminate spider veins or varicose veins as soon as possible.
Are There Any Safe Varicose Veins Pregnancy Treatments?
Like spider veins, varicose veins are best treated after your pregnancy. Since blood volume increases during pregnancy, some veins swell to contain the fluid. They might look varicose, when they’re actually just enlarged. These will shrink after pregnancy, which is another reason why it’s smart to wait. If you develop varicose veins during pregnancy, they might also reduce in size after delivery. However, varicose veins involve valve failure and they are twisted and inefficient at circulating blood. So, while they may shrink a little after pregnancy, they aren’t likely to fully disappear until you treat them.
The good news is varicose veins and spider veins are rarely harmful to the fetus. And there are several safe spider veins and varicose veins treatments for damage sustained during pregnancy. Talk to our vein doctors about how soon to pursue treatment. While you might have to wait a few months to treat spider veins, our procedures take just 15-30 minutes, and they start working immediately, so you don’t have to wait long for results.
Do Varicose Veins Go Away After Pregnancy?
As mentioned, the increased blood volume during pregnancy causes some veins to swell and then reduce in size once they’re done supplying blood to the fetus. These enlarged blood vessels are not necessarily varicose, and they might “go away” after pregnancy in the sense that they shrink from sight. However, if a vein is truly varicose, it’s less likely to fully disappear, particularly if you have Chronic Venous Insufficiency.
What causes varicose veins, in most cases, is a valve failure deeper in the vein. This allows blood to collect and retreat through the vein, creating bulging varicosities and new spider veins. This is not typically corrected without intervention, and in fact, new spider veins and varicose veins often develop in addition to the veins you currently see. Talk to our NJ vein experts about solutions for varicose veins and spider veins you acquired during pregnancy. We won’t suggest treatments you don’t need, and we’ll help determine whether the swollen veins will reduce in size on their own.
What Makes Spider Veins Worse While Pregnant?
If you develop spider veins during pregnancy, there are certain things you can do to avoid making those spider veins worse or developing additional ones. If your doctor approves, wear compression stockings to enhance circulation. It’s important to have your vein doctor fit these, since inadequate or excessive pressure is possible with the wrong compression hose.
In addition, avoid sitting or standing for long periods of time, since this increases the burden on your veins. Change positions often and flex your legs muscles to help pump blood out of your legs, if you are stuck sitting for too long. Elevate your feet and legs when you’re sitting or lying down, to help keep blood flowing toward your heart, rather than pooling in your veins. Don’t cross your legs tightly for long periods of time as this restricts blood flow. Avoid excess sodium and shoes or clothing that are too restrictive, particularly if you have venous insufficiency.
Do Varicose Veins Come and Go If You Don’t Treat Them?
Veins frequently change size temporarily due to things like temperature, hydration, exertion, blood pressure, and illness. You might have noticed certain veins becoming more prominent after you exercise or take a hot shower. This is a natural occurrence, and the vein will shrink again when your body temperature lowers or your heart rate slows.
However, varicose veins can change size like other veins, but they remain more enlarged and twisted than healthy veins, and often protrude beneath the surface of your skin. While it’s normal to see protuberant veins in areas with less body fat, like the face or forehead, protruding veins in legs might signify a varicosity, particularly if they are tortuous. These will most likely require medical treatment to fully resolve.
What Can Get Rid of Varicose Veins After Pregnancy?
Once your doctor clears you for treatment, there are several ways to get rid of varicose veins and spider veins. Our vein doctors use vein adhesives like VenaSeal, sclerosants like Varithena, radiofrequency ablation methods like Venefit, and mechanochemical tactics like ClariVein. If needed, we might recommend less invasive surgical procedures like ambulatory phlebectomy. Our treatments are always catered to the individual’s preferences and customized for your unique veins.
Tiny Red Veins on Legs: Is Getting Rid of Them Required?
Now that you know spider vein treatment should wait until pregnancy is complete, you might be wondering whether those tiny purple, blue, or red veins on legs require getting rid of. Spider veins aren’t usually dangerous, however they can impact your self-confidence and also cause frustrating symptoms like cramping, itching, swelling, heaviness, and restlessness in your legs, particularly if they’re caused by Chronic Venous Insufficiency.
It’s important to seek a vein assessment to determine what’s causing your spider veins and identify any issues deeper in veins that you can’t see from the surface. Our treatments are fast, minimally invasive, and covered by insurance, and we won’t suggest treatment if you don’t need it. Visit any of our New Jersey vein centers for an in-depth look at your veins and swift solutions!
Bulging Veins in Upper Thigh: Is Treatment Necessary?
Like spider veins, bulging varicose veins don’t always require treatment, but often they do, especially if you have vein disease or complications like profuse bleeding, venous ulcerations, venous stasis dermatitis, or blood clots. It’s impossible to know if your spider or varicose veins are a threat to your health without an ultrasound view of your veins. So, book your consultation at our Paramus, Clifton, Woodbridge, or Woodland Park vein center today!
How to Get Rid of Veins Showing Up on Legs Safely?
All of our minimally invasive vein treatments have a remarkable safety profile and they’re approved by the FDA. Our vein centers in New Jersey are fully accredited, and our NJ vein doctors are board certified and licensed to practice venous medicine. They’re fellowship trained at the best medical schools in the country and graduated at the top of their class. Our vein specialists frequently train other vein doctors on our innovative methods and state of the art technology. So, how do you get rid of veins safely? Visit our renowned vein center!