Varicose (i.e. swollen) veins are not a welcomed occurrence for anyone, female or male.ย Though they do affect more womenย โ 1 in 3 will develop them, especially during pregnancyย โ varicose veins will surface for men, as well, but with less frequency.ย Genetics andย obesityย can increaseย a personโsย riskย for developing these abnormally functioning veins.
Professional dermatologists, like those at Your Laser Skin Care who provideย Los Angeles-based vein therapy, can treat these swollen veins.ย More on that later.
What are varicose veins?
The blue or purple veins are rather unsightly.ย They usually occur in the leg area butย canย surfaceย on other areas of the bodyย like the face and torso.
Varicose veins are veins that are no longer functioning properly. Theย veinsโย valves, which prevent blood on its way to the heart from flowing the other way, stop working. The walls of the veins are weakened as a result. Bloodย thenย poolsย in the weakened areas and further stretchesย the vein walls. The vein will become swollen and visible just beneath the skinโs surface.
Are varicose veins painful?
They can be, as they can create an aching and heavy feeling in the leg area.ย Itchiness also is a common side effect. And they can cause swollen ankles and feet and cramping muscles. In general, they can cause some discomfort.
Why does pregnancy cause varicose veins?
Varicose veins and pregnancy do not always go hand in hand, but they are a fairly common occurrence. With a growing fetus and expanding uterus,ย moreย weight is pushing on pelvis veins.ย One of those veins is the largest one in the body, the inferior vena cava. The major blood vessel, which runs along the bodyโs right side, carries blood from the lower extremities and the pelvis. Pressure on this vein makes itย harder for the blood to get from theย legs back to the heart, which can cause swollen veins
ย Also, the pregnancy hormone progesterone helps to relax blood vessel walls, which can contribute to varicose veins.
ย Often, varicose veins improve following pregnancy.ย It helps if you donโt cross your legsย while sitting at your desk at work. Sitting or standing for a long time isnโt recommended. Moving around every 30 minutesย will helpย with circulation.ย And maintaining a balanced diet โ reducing the possibility for excessive weight gain in a short period of time during pregnancy โย can help keep varicose veins at bay.ย Compressionย stockingsย
But what if they donโt improve?
The Los Angeles vein therapy specialists at Your Laser Skin Care can help.ย Our laser vein therapy can treat small spider veins and varicose veins.ย As lasers continueย to improve, so have the methods to treat blemishes like dilated or broken blood vessels. These treatments are faster and more effective than everย before. Your Laser Skin Care uses aย Yagย laser, which is a beam of high-intensity light, that administers a controlled amount of heat to target blood vessels. It also contains a cooling device that protects the top layers of skin.
For more information about our treatmentsย (and other services, such as Botox andย Latisse), visit us online atย yourlaserdev.wpenginepowered.com, or call one of our vein therapy specialists in Los Angelesย for a free consultation atย (323) 525-1516.
