SPIDER VEINS - Home Remedies | Alexandra Potora

Hello my friend!
The focus today is spider veins, but these home remedies can also help with varicose veins, eczema, even acne.

Let’s dive right in!

Spider veins are broken blood vessels (or enlarged blood vessels), right beneath the surface of the skin. They can develop in anyone and at any age. Genetics will play a big role in their development, but there are other causes as well:

Sun exposure (aka 1 of the most common causes of spider veins). The sun does so much damage! In the case of spider veins it can enlarge the blood vessels; drawing them closer to the skin, making them visible.
Alcohol consumption is a factor, since it can temporarily dilate the blood vessels. More frequent alcohol consumption may lead to redness and lingering broken blood vessels.
Hormonal changes may also cause broken blood vessels. Pregnancy-related spider veins though will usually disappear after giving birth.
Rosacea. Those of us who experience rosacea often times experience spider veins as well.
Severe changes in weather conditions may affect the circulation in the body, causing the skin to flush and blood vessels to burst.
Changes in pressure. It’s also important to note that a really (really) hard sneeze or vomiting can be considered “changes in pressure” too.
Environmental irritants. Pollution and other chemicals can make the blood vessels more visible.
Injuries: More severe head injuries that cause bruising as well as broken blood vessels.

Now that we went over all that, let’s talk about how we can help improve their appearance. Down the post there are also some effective preventative methods (to avoid future damage) and in-office procedures that can yield significant results.

Home Remedies:

Unlike doctor-procedures, DIYs will take longer to show results so you have to stay consistent. DIYs aren’t a “one-and-done” type of approaches, but rather a“stick to it consistently for 90 days before looking for improvements” lifestyle.

With that said – from all the research I’ve done, I encourage you (considering you’ve established that you don’t have any allergies) to try ALL THREE steps, twice a day. Morning and Evening.

STEP 1 (toner):

1/2 tablespoon Horse Chestnut tincture.
7 tablespoons distilled Witch Hazel.
– store away from direct sunlight and make a fresh batch every other week.

Horse Chestnut helps strengthen spider veins and has anti-inflammatory and anti-swelling properties which can help with their appearance.

Witch hazel is a natural astringent that may help reduce the appearance of spider veins. The tannins it contains has antioxidant properties, which can help improve the appearance of large pores; DOUBLE-WHAMMY!!

STEP 2 (serum):

3 tablespoons Calendula oil.
2 tablespoons Arnica oil.
15-20 drops German Chamomile essential oil.
– store away from direct sunlight.

PRO TIP:
Gently massage the oil into the affected areas for 10 minutes at a time; that would be ideal. Regular massage helps improve circulation and better move blood through the congested areas.

Calendula oil has anti-inflammatory properties, which can help address spider veins, varicose veins, rashes, eczema and other related skin conditions.

Arnica oil helps decrease inflammation and boost circulation, which may speed up the healing process.

German chamomile is rich in Vitamins A, B & C, matricin, all fantastic ingredients that help with spider veins. It’s gentle, has anti-inflammatory benefits and amazing soothing effects.

STEP 3 (moisturizing):

Mix 2-4 drops of Aloe Vera gel with your moisturizer.
In the morning, don’t forget to follow with sunscreen SPF 30+ regardless if it’s rain or shine. As long as it’s daytime, you NEED SUNSCREEN.

Aloe Vera has beneficial antiviral, antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties. It may also help reduce redness.

WATCH THE DIY TUTORIAL:

Effective in-office procedures

Sclerotherapy
This proceduce injects sclerosing agents to help spider veins disappear (typically within a few weeks).
The injected material helps seal up the blood vessels, which causes the visible blood just under the skin to disappear.

Radiofrequency occlusion.
A small catheter is inserted into the vein, which delivers radiofrequency energy to the vein wall, causing it to heat, collapse and then shut.

Laser therapy.
Intense laser lights can destroy the problematic veins, but this is my least favorite method, since the laser can also damage the skin, making it sensitive during recovery.
The process can also get expensive since multiple sessions are often needed and the veins can return over time.

Intense pulled light.
IPL therapy uses special lights to penetrate deeper into the layers of skin without damaging the top layer. Similarly to laser therapy though, several sessions may be needed in order to achieve results.

Endovenous laser treatment.
This procedure inserts a small laser fiber into the vein. Pulses of light are then delivered inside the vein, causing it to collapse.

Prevention Tips

Here is the money part of today’s blog IMO, because these tips can also help those of us with varicose veins, eczema and even acne.

Avoiding using hot water.
Not only will hot water strip the skin of it’s moisture and potentially affect the mitochondria which could lead to premature aging, BUT … excess heat could also lead to broken blood vessels. Use only cold or warm water (especially when it comes to the face).
Avoid extreme heat all together.
Very high temperatures from spas, saunas, hot yoga or hot weather in general, may dilate the blood vessels and increase the chances of spider veins appearing to the surface.
Limit the sun exposure.
Perhaps one of the most important tips here. Wear a broad spectrum (FDA approved) UVA/UVB Sunscreen with a minimum SPF of 30. Wear hats, visors, sunglasses, driving gloves and go for longer layers of clothing, ESPECIALLY if spider veins run in your family!! And if you could also avoid the sun during it’s peak hours (11AM-3PM) that would be even better.
Cold compresses.
Wrap an ice pack or bag of frozen peas in a thin fabric and apply it to the face after sun or heat exposure. The cold may help reduce the appearance of burst blood vessels.
Avoid vasodilators (caffeine, spicy foods, alcohol).
Vasodilators cause vessels to fill with blood, making spider veins more noticeable. Even very moderate amounts of vasodilators can cause redness and broken blood vessels in some people.
Avoid crossing your legs while sitting.
Avoid sitting or standing in the same position for a long period of time.
Wear comfortable shoes and avoid wearing high heels for long periods of time.
Avoid wearing girdles, tight pantyhose, garters or other tight-fitting clothing, since they can affect circulation1
Use Retinoids.
Incorporate a retinoid cream into your weekly skincare regimen. While retinoids are used for many skin conditions (acne, aging, etc), they are also recommended for those of us with spider veins. Retinoids may help reduce the visibility of the veins and boost the overall health of skin. Quality retinoids require a prescription and your dermatologist can help with that.
Include more antioxidants in your diet.
Strawberries, blueberries, grapes, pecans, walnuts, dark chocolate, spinach, kale, red cabbage, sweet potato, whole grains, green tea … Incorporating these into your daily diet will help maintain strong and healthy veins.
Include high-fiber foods in your diet as well, to reduce the risk of constipation, which may aggravate these conditions.
Manage your salt intake and try to follow a low-salt diet.
Keep the body hydrated by drinking half your weight in fluid ounces of water – daily.
If you are obese, losing the extra pounds and maintain a healthy body weight will help immensely.