Blue or dark purple bumps on your legs are a sign that you have varicose veins or varicose veins. These can cause swelling, pain or cramping, among other symptoms. Spider veins are similar to varicose veins but smaller. They are dilations of the more peripheral venous tree, red or blue in color, and their importance is more aesthetic than medical.
How leg veins work
The work of the veins consists of transporting blood back to the heart, defying gravity. We have a deep venous system that passes through the muscles that is not visible and a superficial venous system, formed by the veins located under the skin.
Muscles and valves inside the veins help push blood toward the heart, preventing it from falling back to the ankles. If a valve in a superficial vein weakens, blood can flow backwards and cause extra pressure on the vein, dilating it. This can, in turn, contribute to the development of varicose veins, thread veins or spider veins.
Why we have varicose veins
There are a number of factors that favor the development of varicose veins. Some of them are:
– Being a woman, because of certain female hormones.
– Pregnancy, because of the additional blood needed to support the fetus and the increased pressure in the pelvis, due to the weight of the baby, which makes it difficult for blood to flow from the legs to the pelvis and, in turn, dilates the veins in the legs.
– Overweight. As in the previous case, there is extra pressure on the veins and valves, making them work harder to send blood to the heart.
– Aging, since the elasticity is reduced and there is more propensity for the veins to dilate.
– Being inactive, as blood circulates less.
– Having a family history of varicose veins or an underlying medical condition that aggravates return blood flow.
Can varicose veins be prevented?
Varicose veins or varicose veins cannot be completely prevented, but there are some habits that can be carried out. Thus, it is recommended:
1) Elevate your legs whenever possible.
2) Make circular movements with the ankles.
3) Loosen clothes that are too tight.
4) Avoid wearing high heels.
5) Avoid constipation
6) Stop smoking
Dietary recommendations for varicose veins
There are certain foods that help prevent varicose veins from flaring up:
– Horse chestnut has been frequently used to treat venous insufficiency because it contains saponin and escin. These substances, administered in recommended doses, help seal leaky capillaries and also help improve vein elasticity.
– Anthocyanins are a natural antioxidant present in some vegetables and fruits, such as blackberries, cherries or other red fruits. Anthocyanins help seal leaking blood vessels by repairing the collagen in the vessel walls and capillaries.
– Rutin is often used to treat bruises and varicose veins. It strengthens blood vessels and capillaries due to oxerutins, a group of chemicals that improve leg pain, swelling and tiredness.
Medical-aesthetic treatment for varicose veins
A treatment in Aesthetic Medicine can be carried out that contributes to the disappearance of varicose veins or varicose veins: sclerotherapy. It consists of the injection of an irritating product inside the vein, until it disappears. It is a very effective procedure that requires three or four sessions per vein. The results are observed after the second or third month, once the sessions are finished.