Compression and support hosiery can be a girl’s (and a guy’s) best friend when you are trying to slow or prevent the appearance of spider veins and varicose veins.

These often unsightly veins are reminders that our looks may be fading as we advance in age, they can be the result of flawed genes from our ancestors, or simply the effects of our daily toils.

Spider veins and varicose veins can be bothersome to us in more ways than one due to their less than attractive appearance and because they can cause very real feelings of physical discomfort, heaviness and pain in the legs.

For maximum protection against new appearance, worsening or reappearance of spider veins and varicose veins, wearing compression or support hose is simply not a choice but a must.

Keeping those spidery, bulgy and twisted looking veins at bay is a life-long battle for most of us who are dealing with this pesky affliction.  Therefore one of the very best things you can do when you rise each morning is put on your graduated compression or support hose and wear them as much as you can.

If you are motivated to do even more to prevent the occurrence or advancement of spider and varicose veins, here are some additional suggestions of what you can do:

• Keep your weight at a normal level.
• Avoid putting excessive pressure on your legs.
• Exercise your legs regularly to build strength and promote circulation (walking, hiking and running are excellent choices for this).
• Elevate your legs when you are resting (best above the level of the heart).
• Do not wear overly tight clothing that squeezes the area from your waist and down your legs.
• If possible, avoid standing or sitting for extended periods of time.  If you have no choice in the matter, try to take a break every 30 minutes and go for a short walk.
• Avoid wearing high heels whenever possible.  High heeled shoes interfere with the muscle pump function of the calf muscles that aid in pumping the venous blood from the legs back to the heart.
• Eat your fiber to reduce the risk of constipation, which can promote varicose veins. Examples of high-fiber food choices are fruits, vegetables and whole grains.
• Reduce your salt consumption, a possible contributing factor for swelling, which is attributed to varicose veins.
• Last but not least, wearing sun screen can not only protect against skin cancer but is also an effective defense against spider veins on the face.

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