Summertime Vein Health and Compression Therapy

Posted by Shannon on Jun 8th 2023

JUN 09, 2023

Maintaining Your Vein Health Through the Heat of the Summer


It’s summer! Summer brings sunshine and hot weather. It’s a tempting time for kicking off the socks, shoes, and long pants in exchange for sandals, shorts, and swimwear. But, if you must wear compression for your vein health, this idea might leave you with feelings of dread. No one wants to keep their feet and legs covered up all summer long.

Swelling and Hot Weather

Hot weather tends to bring out extra swelling in all of us. But, if your swelling is a symptom of vein disease, hot weather can make your conditions worse. Swelling is caused by a buildup of fluid in your body that tends to pool at the legs and feet because of gravity. Heat is one of the many factors that can increase swelling.

Varicose Veins and Hot Weather

Hot weather can also make varicose veins worse. As your body tries to cool itself, your veins dilate. This is a normal part of the bodys cooling process, just like sweating. For someone who has varicose veins, this dilation can cause them to bulge and swell more than usual, leading to painful aching and throbbing.

Woman grabbing leg in pain from swelling while walking outdoors

Why Ditching Your Compression is a Bad Idea

Wearing compression is one of the best ways to treat swelling, varicose veins, and other venous and circulation issues. Compression will give your veins a boost, encouraging blood and fluids from pooling in your legs and feet, decreasing swelling and improving varicose veins. Suspending this therapy during a time when these conditions are the worst is counterproductive to improving your conditions.

Surviving the Heat with Compression

There are lots of ways to beat the heat and stay compliant with your compression therapy. Reserving your outdoor time for the coolest parts of the day is an enjoyable way to experience the summer sun when its not at its hottest.
 
You dont have to give up the beach or the pool. Spend some time in the water to help cool off. As long as youve checked with your physician first, a little break from the compression while you take a dip shouldnt hurt. Just be sure to dry off thoroughly before putting your compression back on.
 
Some people even choose to swim in their compression stockings. If you decide to swim in your compression, youll want to follow these additional steps to help prevent damage to your compression.stockings. Rinse your compression stockings to remove any chlorine or salt after swimming. Let them dry naturally, not in the sun or in any other heat source. Reapply a clean and dry pair of compression stockings after your swim.

Open-Toe Styles

One fun way to make the heat a little more livable is to wear open-toe stockings. This style allows your toes to peak out and breathe. This style widens the shoe options you have as well. Open-toe stockings wont cramp your style when wearing a nice pair of sandals or flip-flops. Open-toe stockings are an option in knee highs, thigh highs, and pantyhose.

Sheer Styles

Sheer stockings are a great way to experience more of the summer breezes. Sheer styles are lighter weight than traditional stockings, yet still provide the same compression benefits as regular styles. Ease Sheer compression stockings are available in knee highs, thigh highs, and pantyhose.

COOLMAX® and Ionic+™

Open-toe and sheer styles are great ways to help keep cool, but fortunately you dont have to put your regular socks and stockings away. All of our compression socks and stockings are made with one of our two high-tech fibers, COOLMAX® or Ionic+. Both fibers are moisture wicking, which means they wick sweat away from the skin, keeping socks drier and your skin cooler. Ionic+fibers are also antimicrobial.

There are a lot of good options to keep you cool and comfortable while wearing compression through the hot summer months. Whatever you choose, the important thing is that remaining compliant with your compression therapy will help to maintain and improve your vein health

Sources

The New Jersey Vein and Vascular Center; Benenden Hospital; Harvard Medical School

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