You’ve recently had your varicose veins treated and you’re anxious to show them off. Most of our patients feel this way. After years of hiding them under pants, it’s normal to want to jump into some shorts or a swimsuit and hit the pool or beach with renewed confidence. We’re excited for you, but here are two reasons you’ll want to be careful with sun exposure after varicose vein treatment.
Dr. B. Says, “B Careful.”
Dr. Barbieri, or Dr. B. as he is known, wants to make sure you know about the effects of sun exposure after varicose vein treatments. Here are a few things to be aware of:
Sun Sensitivity
After any vein treatment, your legs will be a little sensitive to the sun. Your legs must go through a minor healing process under the skin. Although vein treatments are minimally invasive, there is a healing process that needs to be completed and it takes several weeks. During that time, prolonged or intense exposure to the sun can cause redness, itching, and discomfort.
Bruising and Brown Spots
Your legs will look a lot better, but it takes some time. There will be some bruising and brown discoloration of the skin. Some of this is pigmentation that naturally occurs during the healing process when there is inflammation in the skin. This healing process stimulates melanocytes that produce melanin and you may get some pigmentation along the treated veins. Some of it is due to bruising (small collections of blood under the skin). The hemoglobin in the blood causes the discoloration in the skin.
Don’t worry. This is all part of the process and some degree of brown discoloration is inevitable. This always goes away, but sunshine and intense UV exposure darken the areas causing them to last longer. Your legs probably won’t look their best for about four to six weeks. The good news is that your body will continue to heal, but it may be several months or more before you see the final results of your treatment.
Stay Out of the Sun for a Month after Vein Surgery
If you’re ready to face this summer with legs that look and feel great, don’t delay when it comes to scheduling your evaluation. Treatment could take several visits and there is a waiting period before you can fully enjoy the sun on your legs. We like to keep our patients in the know and make sure your expectations are met. Dr. B. wants you to be able to enjoy your newfound freedom to wear shorts but be careful. Now that you know you have to be careful with sun exposure after varicose vein treatment, if you are at the pool or beach, sit in the shade of an umbrella, wear pants, or use a towel to cover your legs if you’ve just had a treatment.