With summer temperatures soaring, residents in the Boise area will be opting for more revealing clothing, spending more time swimming, and planning trips to the beach or cooler mountain destinations. While these activities can help you better deal with the summer heat, they can also make living with varicose veins more difficult. At Advanced Vein Therapy, we have some tips that can help you get through the hot months ahead.
How Does the Summer Heat Affect Varicose Veins?
Varicose veins are those rope-like and twisting blue, red, or purple lines that typically appear on your thighs, calves, and feet. They occur as a result of problems within the valves. As blood gets pumped to and from the heart, tiny valves within the veins help to regulate blood flow. When they get damaged, blood pools and causes the vein to swell and become visible through the skin.
Varicose vein sufferers are often self-conscious about wearing shorts, swimming suits, and other summer attire. Unfortunately, aside from the cosmetic concerns, warmer summer weather can aggravate varicose veins in other ways:
- High heat: Hot temperatures in the summertime can cause varicose veins to swell even more than usual, making them more noticeable to you and others. This often happens due to high temperatures and humidity or due to sitting in hot tubs for extended periods. Heat can also increase the likelihood of pain, swelling, and inflammation. In addition to the impacts on your appearance, these symptoms can make your legs feel more aching, heavy, and tired.
- Dehydration: The chances of getting dehydrated increase in the summer, when you are likely spending more time outdoors and engaging in activities that cause you to sweat. The body needs to stay adequately hydrated at any time of year. Dehydration can lead to all types of potentially dangerous health conditions. By decreasing blood flow, a lack of water also makes blood more likely to pool, increasing your odds of suffering from varicose veins and making those you already have more visible.
- Lack of movement: It can be hard to fit in your regular exercise routine in the summer, and the high heat can make you less likely to engage in any type of strenuous outdoor activity. This lack of movement increases the chances of developing varicose veins, as does sitting for long periods when flying on airplanes to vacation destinations or when traveling by car on summer road trips.
Tips for Living With Varicose Veins
Varicose veins do not need to ruin your summer and stand in the way of your favorite activities or any vacation plans you have made. There are ways you can help to minimize potential problems and prevent your varicose veins from getting worse. These include:
- Keep water with you at all times: Drink plenty of water at home and take a reusable water bottle with you whenever you go out to help ensure you stay properly hydrated.
- Create a summer exercise plan: Modify your existing workout to accommodate high summer temperatures. Find a simple routine you can do at home or join an air-conditioned health club. This can help ensure you get the level of activity you need.
- Avoid sitting for long periods: On a plane, get up and walk up and down the aisle every hour or so. If you are taking a road trip, schedule frequent rest stops to stretch your legs.
- Get a safe tan: A light tan can help to camouflage the appearance of varicose veins. Use sunscreen to be safe or consider using self-tanning sprays, lotions, or other products.
Eliminating Your Varicose Vein Problem
If you are concerned about the physical appearance of your varicose veins or the impact they could be having on your overall health, you may want to consider treatment. At Advanced Vein Therapy, we offer a selection of safe, minimally invasive, and highly effective treatments for varicose veins which include:
- Venaseal: This procedure uses medical glue to seal varicose veins and send blood flow to other areas;
- Sclerotherapy: This procedure involves using a foamy solution to shrink your varicose veins, causing them to disappear from view.
- Radiofrequency Ablation (RFA) or Endovenous Laser Treatments (EVLT): These procedures rely on radio waves and lasers to help eliminate varicose veins for good.
Reach Out to Us Today for Help
For more tips on living with varicose veins, and to discuss your options in treatment, reach out to Advanced Vein Therapy. Contact our Boise office to schedule a consultation today.