How Often Do Veins Fade After Pregnancy?

Is there any truth to the claim that spider veins can fade by on their own around two to three months after giving birth? How long should I wait after pregnancy to have sclerotherapy?

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6 Doctor Answers | Asked by anon

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Varicose Veins After Delivering a Child

The pregnancy state places undue pressure on the deep veins and central veins - vena cava and illiac veins in the pelvis. When there is venous insufficiency, this pressure from the enlarging uterus causes the valves at the level of the groin to leak - venous insufficiency - and as a result, varicose veins form. Also, there is 30% more intravascular volume due to water retenstion during the pregnancy state, so this also causes varicose veins to form and stay distended. Once this pressure is... more

Sclerotherapy

It is difficult to know exactly when or if veins will improve after pregnancy. I would encourage you to wait at least 6 months after pregnancy to try sclerotherapy.

Sam Naficy, MD

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Seattle Facial Plastic Surgeon

www.seattleface.com

Treatment of spider and varicose veins after pregnancy

Great questions. Veins do resolve after pregnancy because there is a hormonally-dependent association between spider veins and estrogen/progesterone. This does not mean that you will not have any veins on the legs postpartum. You may continue to have some veins that have progressed beyond the ability of the body to resolve them. I would wait about 6 months after pregnancy to begin sclerotherapy or EVLT.

Spider Veins Post Pregnancy

It is always difficult to predict if the veins you have developed during pregnancy will resolve after. In my opinion most always they do not go away and required treatment. Ideally, one should wait for 3-6 months post delivery to make the decision if they need sclerotherapy to address the problem areas and longer if breast feeding.

Spider Veins Fading after Pregnancy

Unfortunately there is no way to predict how long it will take for your spider veins to improve or even if they will improve after your pregnancy. Some patients find that they get the most improvement after they are finished nursing, others have veins that persist indefinitely. If you are considering sclerotherapy, please wait until you are done nursing. If you elect not to nurse, wait at least three months to see if they start to improve on their own.