5 Common Activities That Cause or Worsen Spider and Varicose Veins
Wellness & SelfcareSkin Care

5 Everyday Habits You Didn’t Know Can Cause Spider Veins and Varicose Veins (and How to Counteract Them)

5 Everyday Habits You Didn’t Know Can Cause Spider Veins and Varicose Veins (and How to Counteract Them)
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Published on September 8, 2026
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Some risk factors for varicose veins and spider veins are out of your control. For example, a family history of either can raise your risk.

But some risk factors are modifiable.

“Although factors like age, genetics, and pregnancy cannot be changed, there are several lifestyle habits that may help reduce the risk of developing or worsening both spider veins and varicose veins by improving circulation and reducing pressure in the leg veins,” says Justin Ady, MD, an assistant professor of surgery and the medical director of the noninvasive vascular laboratory at Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School in New Brunswick, New Jersey.

Spider veins look like small, thin red or blue lines on your skin, while varicose veins are larger, more pronounced, and can look twisted, says Prakash Krishnan, MD, the director of endovascular interventions at the Mount Sinai Fuster Hospital’s cardiac catheterization laboratory in New York City. Varicose veins are often found on the insides of the thighs, the calf, or the back of the leg, but they can be found anywhere from your ankle to your groin. Spider veins typically occur anywhere on the legs or the face.

Both are caused by damaged valves in the veins and can cause pain, swelling, and other uncomfortable symptoms. If you notice either type, you should bring it up with your doctor to see if your symptoms require treatment. Your doctor may refer you to a specialist who can help.

“Although spider veins can occasionally cause mild discomfort, varicose veins are more likely to cause symptoms such as aching, heaviness, swelling, itching, or leg fatigue,” Dr. Ady says.

Experts explain five lifestyle factors that can worsen varicose and spider veins, and provide tips on how you can make adjustments to improve your vein health.

1. Excess Weight

Being overweight can worsen both varicose and spider veins because the excess weight strains your circulatory system, experts say.

“Carrying excess body weight places additional pressure on the veins in your legs, making it harder for blood to return to the heart,” Ady says. This causes blood to pool in the leg veins, which causes the vein walls to bulge, swell, and twist, exacerbating varicose veins. A BMI over 30 increases your risk of varicose veins.

2. Prolonged Sitting or Standing

Staying in one position — seated or standing — for long stretches of time can allow blood to pool in your legs, which can worsen varicose and spider veins because it increases pressure in the veins, Ady says. “If you sit or stand for work, try to move around, stretch, or perform calf raises every 30 to 60 minutes to keep blood flowing,” he recommends.

It can also be helpful to wear compression stockings, especially during long flights and car rides, Ady says. “Compression stockings apply gentle pressure to the legs, helping the veins move blood more efficiently back to the heart,” he explains. “They can reduce leg swelling, aching, fatigue, and may help slow the progression of chronic venous disease.” Chronic venous disease, or chronic venous insufficiency, is a condition that occurs when your blood cannot flow from your legs back up to your heart, and it can lead to varicose veins.

Though compression stockings are widely recommended, you should speak with your doctor before trying them out. “For most people with venous disease, we recommend knee-high graduated compression stockings with a pressure of 20 to 30 millimeters of mercury [mmHg], provided they are comfortable and well tolerated,” Ady says. “However, compression stockings are not appropriate for everyone, so you should always follow your healthcare provider’s recommendations, especially if you have peripheral arterial disease or other circulation problems.”

3. Time Outdoors Without Sun Protection

Sun exposure can have an effect on varicose and spider veins, Dr. Krishnan says. “The elastin in the skin can be damaged by prolonged exposure to the sun, and this causes the varicose veins to be more accentuated,” he explains. (Elastin is a protein found throughout the body, including in the skin, that helps skin and other tissues to stretch.)

Research suggests, for example, that photoaging, which is the process of premature aging caused by harmful sun exposure, can increase spider veins.

 UV radiation can also worsen varicose veins.

Your provider may recommend sunscreen to prevent your varicose or spider veins from getting worse.

 Sunscreen protects elastin in the skin from harmful ultraviolet (UV) rays. Make sure to choose a sunscreen product with a broad-spectrum sun protection factor (SPF) of at least 30 and wear it every day.

4. Infrequent Exercise

Though exercise won’t dispel varicose veins for good, it can temporarily reduce the symptoms. Exercise supports vein health by improving circulation in your legs.

 A research review that included four studies of people with mild chronic venous disease and five studies of people with advanced chronic venous disease — a main cause of varicose and spider veins — found that exercise improved blood flow in the leg muscles. The frequency with which study participants exercised varied, but most underwent exercise training two to three days a week.

 This, in turn, can improve varicose and spider veins, since they are exacerbated by blood pooling in the legs.

If you’re looking to improve varicose or spider veins, certain workouts are more beneficial than others. “Regular exercise — especially walking, cycling, swimming, or other activities that engage the calf muscles — helps pump blood back toward the heart,” Ady says. “Aim for at least 30 minutes of moderate physical activity most days of the week.”

5. Smoking

Smoking increases your risk for both varicose and spider veins.

 This is because smoking damages your blood vessels and contributes to chronic venous insufficiency, which can lead to varicose veins.

“Smoking has to be stopped to improve varicose veins and help your overall well-being,” Krishnan says. If you stop smoking, that does not mean your varicose or spider veins will go away; rather, it will help prevent further damage to your veins that could worsen your varicose or spider veins, he adds.

EDITORIAL SOURCES
Everyday Health follows strict sourcing guidelines to ensure the accuracy of its content, outlined in our editorial policy. We use only trustworthy sources, including peer-reviewed studies, board-certified medical experts, patients with lived experience, and information from top institutions.
Resources
  1. Varicose Veins and Spider Veins. Office on Women’s Health. October 24, 2025.
  2. Varicose and Spider Veins. Stony Brook Medicine.
  3. Varicose Veins. Mayo Clinic. February 6, 2024.
  4. Varicose Veins. Cleveland Clinic. June 23, 2026.
  5. Chronic Venous Insufficiency. Johns Hopkins Medicine.
  6. Elastin. Cleveland Clinic. March 4, 2022.
  7. Salminen A et al. Photoaging: UV Radiation-Induced Inflammation and Immunosuppression Accelerate the Aging Process in the Skin. Inflammation Research. June 24, 2022.
  8. Aubry L. How to Ease Your Varicose Vein Symptom Flare-Ups in Summer Heat. Loma Linda University Health. July 5, 2022.
  9. Varicose Veins. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. September 26, 2023.
  10. Lifestyle Changes for Chronic Venous Insufficiency. NYU Langone Health.
  11. Silva KLS et al. The Impact of Exercise Training on Calf Pump Function, Muscle Strength, Ankle Range of Motion, and Health-Related Quality of Life in Patients with Chronic Venous Insufficiency at Different Stages of Severity: A Systematic Review. Journal Vascular Brasileiro. April 28, 2021.
  12. The Medical Minute: Top Tips for Managing Chronic Venous Insufficiency. The Pennsylvania State University. July 24, 2025.
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Satjit Bhusri

Satjit Bhusri, MD, FACC MD

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Satjit Bhusri, MD, is the founder of Upper East Side Cardiology & Vein Institute, a private practice that offers comprehensive and personalized cardiac and vein care to patients in...

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