How can I prevent spider veins?

I enjoy answering questions like these because prevention is always the key factor for any skin or medical condition. Also, by educating the patient, you are equipping them to be knowledgeable and active in their treatment plan.

If we are referring to spider veins (aka: broken blood vessels, telangiectasias) on the face - using good common sense when it comes to sun exposure will help, as oftentimes an increase in vascularity may be related to sun exposure.

If we are discussing spider veins to the lower extremities, there are many things a person can do to as preventative measures:

1. If you sit or stand at your work most of the day - take frequent walks. If that isn't feasible, stand at your work place and go up and down on your toes. This simple action contracts the calve muscle which in turn applies pressure on the blood vessels. This will then push blood up above the vessel valves back towards the heart.
2. If you are sitting, perform ankle exercises wherein you flex and extend the feet to contract the calve muscle, rotate the ankles in a circular motion as well.
3. Exercise, exercise, exercise!
4. Consider wearing support hose. I know, I know, not very appealing. However, nowadays, they are much more attractive. Even regular pantyhose offer a support-like option.
5. Try not to cross your legs at the back of the knees. Learn to cross at the ankles.
6. Elevate the legs when taking a break or at home relaxing - above heart level.
7. Discuss with your medical doctor whether or not your current prescriptive medications may be exacerbating the problem.

All of these suggestions are aimed at helping the blood vessels and vessel valves do their job by pushing blood back towards the heart. When blood hangs around too long in the vessels, there is an increased pressure that will then promote collateral circulation to form to relieve the pressure... hence spider veins.

As always, "an ounce of prevention..."