Vein Health: What to Expect as You Get Older

As you get older, the chance of suffering from painful and unsightly veins is elevated. It can help to know that you are not alone if you experience these issues. While roughly 20% of adults have varicose veins, the majority of people will have at least one or two spider veins. With these statistics, it’s clear that knowing more about vein health is beneficial.

Some people would benefit more by knowing what changes they should expect in their veins as they get older, whole others will need to know the available treatments. In this post, both of these aspects will be covered. 

How Your Veins Change as You Age

There are a range of ways that your veins will change as you get older. This is an evitable step of aging, similar to how your skin wrinkles and your bones become less dense. Older people are more likely to suffer from spider and varicose veins, which are damaged veins, due to the changes that can happen.

Some people are more at risk of developing these veins. This could be related to your genetics or lifestyle habits, such as sitting or standing for too long. Pregnancy can also cause people to develop varicose and spider veins.

The three main changes you will notice in your veins as you age have been outlined below: 

Decreased Elasticity of Veins

As you age, the walls of your veins will likely become less flexible. Vein walls are made of collagen and elastin; these are the same proteins that contribute to youthful and resilient skin. Less elasticity in your veins can cause decreased blood flow and increased pressure within the vessels, which can result in spider veins and varicose veins developing. 

Weakened Valves

Valve incompetence can also develop as people get older. The valves in veins can become weakened and fail to function properly, and this can cause blood to pool in the veins. This increased blood behind the failed valve, paired with the lack of elasticity, can cause veins to become enlarged and visible under the skin’s surface.

Thinning Skin

The skin can become thinner as you age and veins will be more visible because of this. Due to the other changes your veins experience, they are increasingly visible to begin with.

What Treatment is Available for Your Veins

The type of treatment you will require will be determine by dermatologists or vein specialists. Your options will vary from self-care to improve circulation to minor surgical procedures. Some of the available treatment methods are:

Compression Stockings

Tighter than ordinary socks, compression stockings work by applying controlled pressure to improve the veins’ blood flow in your legs. Some stockings, such as medical-grade compression stockings, are graduated, which means they are tightest at the ankles and gradually ease compression as they go up the legs. The legs are gently squeezed to move blood to be pumped back to the heart.

While this will help to reduce the risk of blood clots and swelling in your legs, you will still have visible veins.

Laser Treatments

Although laser treatments have not been successful for spider vein so far, this option is regularly used for varicose veins. Professional vein specialists, like Schulman Vein and Laser Center, perform this procedure by inserting a thin laser fibre via a needle into the vein to close damaged veins and increase blood flow and circulation. To learn more about improving your circulation, click here.

It can take between one to three months before varicose veins to disappear with this treatment, which means you might require multiple courses. Thankfully, laser treatment does not hinder individuals from returning to their normal activities immediately.

Foam Sclerotherapy

Foam sclerotherapy is a technique that sees FDA-approved solutions mixed with air or CO2, which creates a foam. The foam is then injected into the vein with the help of ultrasound. The process ensures the medication is distributed evenly and dissipates quickly, and this is essential to make sure it only affects damaged veins. 

This treatment method works better for small veins, like spider veins. 

With this information, people will be more prepared as their veins begin to change as they get older. The treatments that people undertake to resolve vein issues will vary depending on the type of changes they have experienced.