Banishing varicose veins for sexy legs

Varicose veins
vamoose!
Sarah Wassner Flynn

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You cringe when you see those purplish raised veins on women’s legs, or your own. Did you know that 50 percent of women will have spider and/or varicose veins by age 50. Are you one of them? If so, cringe no more! Here are tips to get a leg up on unsightly veins and recapture your sexy legs.
Woman's Legs
After weeks of searching, you have found the perfect summer dress to wear to that wedding next week. The only problem? The higher hem shows off the backs of your legs and those varicose veins snaking along your calves. But before you resort to wearing pants or maxi dresses for special events in the summer, read up on varicose veins and treatments to get rid of them.

VARICOSE VEINS, EXPLAINED

They seem to come out of nowhere. One day, you have flawless legs and the next they are marked by blue-tinged, raised veins. So where ever did they come from?

Blame pregnancy, weight gain, or your body type. All three of these factors are thought to be the culprits leading to faulty valves in your veins, which in turn slows down regular blood flow and causes veins to become swollen and twisted at the surface of your skin.

Varicosities (and their cousins, spider veins) may first rear their ugly heads in your late twenties and continue to worsen with age. Though mostly a cosmetic concern, the condition can also be quite painful. Some women complain of leg discomfort and pain, especially after standing for long periods of time.

TREATMENTS FOR VARICOSE VEINS

So, what can you do about varicose veins? For decades, doctors recommended simple steps like pulling on compression socks and elevating your feet to combat swelling and pain. But modern treatments are much more savvy -- and, best yet, successful.
VNUS Closure: The latest, VNUS Closure (also known as “Closure Fast”) uses radiofrequency energy to close and eliminate varicose veins. Doctors place a tiny catheter into the troubled vein, which delivers heat (via radio waves) and causes the vein to shrink, and eventually close. Blood is then re-routed to healthier veins. VNUS Closure generally takes minutes to complete, is practically painless, and is covered by most health insurance plans.

Endovenus Laser Treatment: Another option, called Endovenus Laser Treatment (EVLT), uses a laser instead of heated radio waves to shrink and close down varicose veins.

Sclerotherapy: And then there is also sclerotherapy, or the injection of a chemical solution around the vein to shrink it.
All three methods are far less invasive procedures than vein stripping, which involves the removal of the troubled vein through surgery.

QUICK WAYS TO COVER UP

Looking for more of a quick fix? While you can always cover up with a sexy pair of stockings, this option is less desirable in the summer. So when it is time to pull on the shorts and skirts, try camouflaging your veins with makeup like Cover FX and Dermablend Leg and Body Cover. Both match your skin tone and stay put for hours, even after swimming. Beauty experts recommend first using an all-over body moisturizer, then applying makeup with your fingertips in a sweeping, up and down motion, blending well.

Whether its makeup or a more permanent procedure, talk to a specialist about which one is right for you. (To find a specialist in varicose veins near you, check out the Vein Directory.)

Sarah Wassner Flynn is a New York City-based writer. She's contributed to magazines such as CosmoGIRL!, National Geographic Kids, Runner's World, Women's Health, Prevention, and MetroSports New York. Her book, The Book of Happy Things, is slated for a June 2008 release.


Comments
By Andrew K Fletcher Feb 13, 2009

Andrew K. Fletcher Paignton, Devon U.K. +44 1803524117 Inclined Bed Therapy (IBT) Varicose Veins Study. Inclined To Sleep Inclined Yet? Dear Reader We are seeking more people with varicose veins who are willing to put IBT to the test and feel that this is something that your readers and colleagues will definitely find fascinating and some who have varicose veins and oedema and wish to avoid surgery may want to Help in this important trial and join our Free study which has already produced positive results in only 4 weeks as predicted! News Release: An Important Scientific Study into the cause of Varicose Veins and Oedema and Inclined Bed Therapy (I.B.T.) is now underway, which makes use of the way the body uses gravity to move solutes through the vessels to improve circulation and alter the pressure inside the veins to significantly reduce swelling and oedema. Our study is free for anyone to participate in. There are no products to be sold or marketed. What is Inclined Bed Therapy? Gravity was identified as the driving force behind circulation in trees in 1994 and was applied immediately to how circulation in the body benefits from the same interaction with salts and sugars in the circulation. A video showing the use of IBT with spinal cord injury can be viewed here. http://www.youtube/watch?v=u3D7tBQfCxQ IBT is simply tilting the bed so that the head end is 15 cm’s or 6 inches higher than the foot end providing a level but tilted bed, hence the name Inclined Bed Therapy.0 People with varicose veins, oedema (fluid retention) are needed to participate in an online Diary Study, in order to prove that simply altering our sleeping position can have a positive affect on these problems. If you or someone you know has Varicose Veins, the standard advise is to raise your legs and tilt your bed the other way to IBT, Or to undergo risky and expensive surgery that is prone to fail because it does not address why the pressure inside the vein causes it to bulge. Which according to current physiology books makes sense. But what if that logic is incorrect? All the evidence from our study is showing that gravity is not a force we are struggling to overcome but a force that drives the fluids within the body. Are you prepared to take the 4 week challenge and provide us with your observations? Or do you know someone who has varicose veins and would like to watch them slowly but surely shrink and improve every night they go to bed instead of becoming more unsightly and uncomfortable? Our study is located on the Naked Scientists forum, who have a regular slot on BBC Radio. http://www.thenakedscientists/forum/index.php?topic=9843.msg121037#msg121037 My wife’s calf showing clearly her varicose vein shadow, which went flat after 4 weeks of Inclined Bed Therapy back in 1994 and has not returned to its former state since. http://www.thenakedscientists/forum/index.php?topic=9843.msg121037#msg121037 Alun has already confirmed my statement on the study thread that Varicose veins will shrink after 4 weeks of IBT and has supplied us with photographic before and after 4 weeks of IBT along with a diary account of his observations. And he is not alone. http://www.thenakedscientists/forum/index.php?topic=9843.75 More reading: http://www.thenakedscientists/forum/index.php?topic=18961.0 We are hoping to find at least 50 more pioneering volunteers who wish to avoid surgery and it’s inherent risks and failures, who are willing to provide us with photographic and a written account of their own experiences sleeping inclined. So far our study is running towards a predicted outcome that flies in the face of current physiology literature. Photographic Evidence: Higher Resolution 1st Photograph: Male 34 years. Varicose vein on calf muscle following 10 weeks of IBT. 2nd Photograph: Same Male 34 years showing Varicose Vein on Calf Muscle 6 months of IBT http://i209.photobucket/albums/bb31/Andrew_K_Fletcher/Varicose%20veins/Calf10-weeksIBT.jpg http://i209.photobucket/albums/bb31/Andrew_K_Fletcher/Varicose%20veins/jan-2008-2-text.jpg Look forward to hearing from you. Yours sincerely Andrew K Fletcher

By Jan 29, 2009

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By jean Nov 5, 2008

does this work whether the bed is tilted with head up or feet up?

By jean Nov 5, 2008

does this work whether the bed is tilted with head up or feet up?

By Thomas Brennan Oct 4, 2008

I am surprised that you did not mention the use of acupuncture as a way to reduce varicose veins. Acupuncture is a health and effective tool that is far less invasive than any of the therapies mentioned. There re also aroma therapy and essential oil products that offer substantial relief. It is odd to me that those ides have not been mentioned.

By j Sep 9, 2008

She is very sexy. It is said that she is dating with a guy at hot interracial dating club for blacks&whites named ' interracialconnect' Really?

By Akhil Aug 6, 2008

http://www.skin-disease/ http://www.beauty-fitness-guide/ http://www.apply-makeup.info/

By Andrew K Fletcher Jul 21, 2008

Your article brought me to you in the hope that you may find time to read about a simple modification to how we sleep that so far is producing a 100% positive result for reversing varicose veins and edema. Closing a vein does not addres the pressure that caused the vein to expand in the first place and will simply cause more veins to expand in the future resulting in more risky surgery Varicose veins cause skin and tissue break down often leading to ulceration and circulatory collapse and sometimes followed by gangrene amputation and loss of life. Varicose veins can be extremely painful, have a psychological impact on people who spend their lives covering up their legs. Surgery often fails because they have not addressed the increased pressure that caused the veins to swell in the first place so veins simply bulge in other places and more risky surgery is required. My next door neighbour has had 3 operations so far on the same limb and only since she tilted her bed did the veins stop swelling and reduce in diameter. Surgery and / or injury often can lead to venous collapse when the veins become flaccid after being inverted. A collapsed vein rare but should be carefully monitored and anyone who has this condition should not join this study as this study is aiming to cause the veins to be drawn in and in the case of a collapsed vein circulation will already be severely restricted so further reductions in the size of the vessel will restrict circulation rather than improve it in this case. If you could help us to locate more people willing to help us with our study it is likely to speed up the chance of forcing a controlled clinical trial to confirm that we have a new understanding of how pressure changes occur in the body. http://www.thenakedscientists/forum/index.php?topic=9843.0 A Study to Show that Varicose Veins and Oedema will respond Favourably to Inclined Bed Therapy (IBT) and do not Require Surgery. ON the above forum we are conducting a study to show that simply tilting your bed by five degrees head up (raising the head end of the bed by 6 inches or fifteen cm's will cause varicose veins to deflate and edema to be sucked back into the circulation. We need at least 50 more volunteers to provide before and after photographs along with an account of any changes noticed following the inclined bed procedure. This flies in the face of currently accepted medical literature. Google "andrew k fletcher" or "inclined bed therapy" to learn more about this simple free non-invasive use of posture change to make a difference to your health and wellbeing. I repeat it is free for anyone to try and there are no products for sale. We are trying to show that the current medical and physiology literature is erroneous and in need of considerable reworking. It is also causing unnecessary suffering, including many amputations and needless loss of life. My number is +441803524117

By David Fox, MD, FACS Jul 7, 2008

If you live in New York you may wish to consider visiting www.foxvein.

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