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Essential Oils For Varicose Veins - What You Need To Know Before You Try It

Alaska Vein Care • Jan 24, 2023

We regularly have patients ask us if they can use essential oils to treat or reduce the prominence of their varicose veins. The short answer is no. While they can be used to help temporarily reduce symptoms and discomfort, vein disease can only be appropriately addressed with medical treatment.

Commonly Used Essential Oils & Lotions For Varicose Veins:

Lavender
Cypress
Frankincense
Devil's Club
Geranium

Minimally Invasive Options Proven To Work For Varicose Veins

Radiofrequency Ablation
Venaseal
With EVLT (Endovenous Laser Therapy)
Micro-Phlebectomy
Sclerotherapy

How Essential Oils Do Help Varicose Veins

The main benefit of using essential oils or natural remedies, like devil’s club salve, is that they can help improve circulation. In the same way that an active lifestyle will help keep blood from pooling in diseased veins, natural creams can help improve circulation. Although this may ease the symptoms for some patients, it cannot repair the faulty valves. These veins are physically damaged and must be treated with an appropriate procedure to help redirect blood flow back to the heart.

*Have you had success treating varicose veins with natural remedies? If so, please let us know. We are always interested in learning from patient experiences and would like to hear your story.

Potential Risks Of Using Essential Oils To Treat Varicose Veins

One of the biggest risks that we see is delaying necessary treatment. Some people may find themselves putting off medical attention while they attempt to find success with at-home remedies. While we always make sure that patients have tried more conservative approaches before seeking a medical procedure, if a patient does in fact have chronic venous insufficiency, he or she must get treatment to solve the issue.

Undiluted essential oils can also cause rashes on the sensitive skin that covers varicose veins. Oftentimes, the swollen veins weaken the skin, and any additional irritation can cause serious issues.

Allergic reactions are also a risk any time someone uses an essential oil. This is a relatively low risk, but should be taken seriously. It’s best to consult with your doctor before trying a new at-home treatment of any kind. They will be able to properly advise you.

Other Ways To Ease Symptoms At Home

person relaxing at home for varicose veins

Move around frequently
Elevated your legs while resting
Maintain a good exercise routine
Wear properly fitted compression stockings

Background Info: What Are Varicose Veins?

Varicose Veins on man's leg before laser vein treatment

Our blood vessels contain tiny valves that keep blood from stagnating or moving backwards as the heart pumps it through our circulatory system. When these valves stop working we see things like varicose veins begin to form.

While varicose veins may cause a disturbance in the appearance of our skin, they are much more than just a topical issue. Some of the most common risks of letting vein disease go untreated are:

Skin Ulcers
Life Threatening Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT)
Leg Fatigue
Restless Legs Syndrome
Bleeding
Lack of Self Esteem
Lowered Quality Of Life

Is Medical Treatment For Varicose Veins Painful?

Once a person has tried all conservative treatments under a doctor’s guidance and decides that treatment is necessary, many times they worry about the pain level and recovery process. Luckily, modern medicine has brought the ability to eliminate varicose veins and return to work in a day for most patients.

Think you might have a vein issue? If you're in Alaska, we have clinics throughout the state and offer free screenings to help guide you in the right direction.

Free Screening

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