It’s commonly known that venous insufficiency is the cause for pesky spider veins and varicose veins. However, there are also a variety of other contributors including weight, injuries, and simple genetics.

Some people are just inclined to get spider and varicose veins – and by some, we mean a huge portion of the population. In fact, the American Society for Vascular Surgery reports that 20 to 25 million Americans have varicose veins. A good portion of factors that cause these veins to surface are unavoidable, but we as humans have some habits that can also cause these unsightly veins to surface.

Fortunately, we are a cosmetic clinic in downtown Toronto that offers non-invasive treatments that can remove these veins. We know that spider veins and varicose veins can contribute to embarrassment and anxiety, and we want you to be able to walk around with confidence. You can call us anytime to talk about your options; we’re happy to answer any questions and work with you to create a treatment plan best suited to your needs.

We’re proud to have experienced doctors and technology that can remove the spider veins and varicose veins that prove to be a nuisance time and time again. If you are prone to these veins or have opted for the treatment and are looking to prevent any more from surfacing, we’re here to help advise you.

These are the six main bad habits that can contribute to your spider and varicose veins:

Regularly Wearing High Heels

We’re sorry to break the bad news to you but wearing high heels on a daily basis can be a significant contributing factor to varicose veins. Unfortunately, when you wear heels, your calf muscles are unable to contract fully.

In other words, they are not able to perform the pumping motion that allows blood to flow into your veins. The result of this can be enlarged calves and, yes, varicose veins.

The good news is that this rings true particularly for heels that are taller than 1.5 inches, which means you can always opt for a smaller heel. Wearing flats or low heels helps to activate blood flow and calf muscles.

Strenuous Exercise

Exercise is incredibly beneficial for your physical and mental health, but it’s imperative to be cautious of just how hard you are pushing yourself.  For example, if you lift weights and don’t breathe out you increase your abdominal pressure. This blocks the flow of blood back to the heart, and veins have to expand to get around this block.

It is also worth mentioning that careful exercise can actually prevent varicose veins. For example, well-toned leg muscles pump out blood a lot better than weak muscles. Your veins are less likely to expand and cause damage to your valves when more venous blood is moved out of your legs.

Crossing Your Legs

It is second nature for people to cross their legs; on the bus, in meetings, while catching up – it’s a default position for so many. Some believe that crossing your legs can contribute to varicose veins, but this habit is more linked to spider veins.

The truth is, the act of crossing your legs doesn’t put enough much pressure on your veins to cause varicose veins. Although, the action does compress major veins behind your knee – and that blocks the venous drainage of your leg veins.

Crossing your legs for a few minutes at a time may not cause much harm but do be wary of crossing your legs for extended periods, like during a long meeting or in front of your desk at work.

Wearing Tight Clothing

Circulation is a major factor when it comes to venous insufficiencies. When you wear clothing that is tight and restrictive, blood has a harder time travelling to the upper body from your lower legs. This increases the chance of blood backflow and valve failure, both of which have links to varicose veins.

The most common clothing culprit when it comes to causing varicose veins is articles of clothing that are tight around your waist and upper thigh. Truthfully, this clothing isn’t even comfortable so you shouldn’t feel too much remorse opting for things that don’t hug your body so tightly.

Cutting off your circulation isn’t comfortable in the slightest, so next time you reach for those extra tight skinny jeans, reach for a loose pair of tapered joggers instead for an equally trendy look.

Shaving Too Fast

We are all guilty of speed-shaving before a spontaneous night out, or right after realizing that our hair situation has gotten out of hand. What you probably already know is that shaving too quickly can result in a lot of small cuts.

What is less known, however, is that these seemingly harmless cuts actually impede the circulation of your leg area. This, in turn, strains your veins to work overtime when they attempt to solve the issue – and can cause spider veins.

Eating Too Many Salty Foods

Considering spider and varicose veins have strong links to weight, it comes as little surprise that food can be a major factor in the appearance of these veins. Ingesting a lot of sodium isn’t good for your body period, but it specifically increases the amount of fluid your body produces.

Since salt makes your body retain water, it also puts pressure on your veins. This pressure damages vein valves and, as a result, can cause varicose veins.

Sclerotherapy for Spider and Varicose Veins in Toronto

Baywood Laser & Cosmetic Clinic offers sclerotherapy in downtown Toronto. We’ve administered thousands of successful treatments since 2001, so you can rest easy knowing that you will be in good hands. Our staff of board-certified physicians and registered nurses are happy to provide you with our services.

You can even get your Botox treatments in downtown Toronto at Baywood Clinic; we are proud to offer a wide variety of treatments that range from laser procedures to injections.

In addition to sclerotherapy, we also offer laser treatments to remove spider veins. Our lasers are state-of-the-art and ensure high-quality treatment. When it comes to your spider and varicose veins, will treat deeper feeder vessels first so that we prevent the need for continuous therapy – we’re here to treat you efficiently, and professionally.

If you’re looking to remove unsightly varicose or spider veins, give us a call at 416-515-0007. Book a consultation to learn more about your options and get any additional information about procedures that interest you.