The Best Time to Treat Varicose Veins

Winter legs by the fireIt may seem counterintuitive at first, but winter is the best time of year to treat your varicose veins and spider veins. Even though it’s the season for long pants, there are quite a few reasons to consider scheduling your varicose vein treatment during the colder months. If you’re looking for that extra push, check out these 5 reasons.

5 Reasons for Leg Vein Care Now

  1. Your legs will be ready to go in time for warmer weather. While varicose and spider vein treatments are much less invasive than they used to be, there is still a recovery process that involves some temporary bruising, rest, and leg elevation. If you wait until shorts weather begins to have your veins treated, you may miss out on the fun while you are healing. Plus, if you choose to have your veins treated during the winter, long pants will conceal the temporary discoloration until your legs have completely healed.
  2. Winter is rough on varicose vein sufferers. Cold weather can cause skin to become dry and itchy. When scratching these dry, brittle areas, there is a risk of breaking large varicose veins and causing considerable bleeding. Winter is also a time of more sedentary lifestyles, which can lead to overeating and weight gain: two factors that can cause venous disease and/or exacerbate existing varicose veins and spider veins through added pain and discomfort. You can avoid these winter blues altogether by getting your legs treated as soon as the weather turns cold.
  3. Compression stockings keep you warm. If compression stockings are recommended as part of your personalized vein treatment plan, they are often more manageable during colder months. They add another layer of warmth and hide nicely underneath long pants.
  4. Sun exposure can interfere with the healing process. The UV rays from the sun can wreak havoc on legs that are recovering from varicose vein treatment, prolonging discoloration and bruising. Don’t tempt yourself to go sunbathing before you’re ready; plan your vein treatment during the winter, when sunlight is limited.
  5. It may make more financial sense. Medically necessary leg vein treatments are oftentimes covered by insurance, which could mean you’d pay little or nothing at all for your vein treatments. Likewise, you may have a balance of FSA and/or HSA funds that could easily be applied to leg vein treatments not covered by insurance.

 
Spring is on its way, but until the warm temperatures become a mainstay, the colder weather is the perfect time to give your legs some love! Schedule a leg vein consultation to learn how Vanishing Veins Northwest can help with your varicose or spider veins.