Can Varicose Veins Be Prevented from Recurring After a Vein Treatment?

In 2024 alone, half a million Americans sought vein treatments (sclerotherapy) to rid themselves of problematic varicose veins. The good news is that these vein treatments work extraordinarily well in eliminating varicose veins, which affect one in four adults in the United States.

The less good news is that although the treated vein is gone for good, you can still develop more varicose veins in the future, so some preventive practices are in order.

At The Upper East Side Vein Institute, our team of vascular experts, under the supervision of board-certified cardiologist Dr. Satjit Bhusri, has a successful record of helping patients banish varicose veins with a range of effective and minimally invasive vein treatments.

When it comes to protecting these great results, here are some points to consider.

Understanding the causes of varicose veins

To prevent something, you need to understand what causes it, and this is the case with varicose veins.

In brief, a varicose vein forms when blood pools in the veins that are supposed to push blood back to your heart for oxygen. When this happens, the tiny blood vessel expands, pushing it toward the surface of your skin in the form of a varicose vein.

Several factors place people at risk for varicose veins, such as:

• Hormones — women are far more susceptible to varicose veins due to reproductive hormone fluctuations that affect blood vessel health
• Chronic venous insufficiency (CVI) — small valves in the veins in your legs don’t close all the way, allowing blood to spill backward
• Pregnancy — more blood and pressure on the veins in your legs can lead to varicose veins
• Age — blood vessels can lose strength and elasticity, which can lead to less efficient blood flow in your legs
• Weak calf muscles — your circulation relies on strong calf muscles to help push blood back up to your heart
• Standing or sitting for long periods — inactivity and staying in one position can increase pressure in the veins in your legs
• Carrying too many pounds — having obesity or being overweight is a known risk factor for varicose veins

Now that we understand what’s behind most varicose veins, let’s reverse engineer this and look at key preventive practices.

Varicose vein prevention efforts

As you can see from our list above outlining the major risk factors for varicose veins, you’ll notice that some factors are beyond your control to change, such as hormonal fluctuations and age. 

That said, you can still take steps to promote better vascular health in your legs to prevent varicose veins from recurring after your vein treatment, such as:

• Strengthening your calf muscles
• Exercising to encourage better circulation
• Wearing compression socks that help push blood out of your legs
• Elevating your legs whenever possible
• Drinking plenty of water to keep blood flowing
• Moving toward a heart-healthy diet
• Losing weight, if applicable
• Being mindful of tight clothing that can cut off blood flow

These steps can go a long way toward preventing varicose veins from returning, but they might still redevelop despite your best efforts. Fortunately, you already know that vein treatments are quick and easy, and we can address recurring varicose veins just as successfully.

If you have more questions about preventing varicose veins from recurring, please call our New York City office on the Upper East Side of Manhattan at 212-752-3464. You can also schedule an appointment online by clicking here.