Can varicose veins and spider veins be treated in the summer or can you go into the sun after leg vein treatments ? these are two of the most commonly asked questions we hear at the Schulman Vein and Laser Center, and with summer approaching these are very good questions.
In one word, YES, its OK to be in the sun after treatment of leg varicose and or spider veins. Just think about this- vein treatment is done in sunny areas like florida and arizona on a daily basis and the patients do just fine.
In terms of sun exposure after leg vein therapy there are a few principles to remember. Some patients have a darkened discoloration even before seeking vein treatments and in some cases its tattoo like- permanent and a result of delaying vein care. In some cases there is a tendency for skin around veins to darken, but this is most commonly due to the condition of the veins before treatment.
Experienced vein specialists can very accurately predict how veins will look in the short term after vein injection therapyand advise patients accordingly. If veins are prone to darkening, you can still be in the sun, again think of the florida patients, but its best to use a sun block with a high SPF to help get the best results. The sun always darkens the skin and if its darker from either long standing venous insufficiency or as a result of vein treatments, the goal is not to make it even darker.
Whether or not a person has leg vein treatment, its a good rule for all people to not get to much sun exposure for all the risks and negatives that we now know the suns rays expose us to.