Home Remedies for Spider Veins – Natural, Herbal Removal of Spider Veins

Spider veins limits your choice of clothing significantly and can as well steal your self-esteem, but with so many home remedies for spider veins available, you can as well take a sigh of relief. And as you will see, most of these remedies use ingredients that you already have in your home, or can be obtained cost-effectively.

Home Remedies for Spider Veins that Work

Spider veins are small, swollen blood vessels that are visible through the skin. They manifest themselves in the form of a spider web-like formation of thin and twisted red or purple lines. The discoloration is due to accumulation of blood in the blood vessels which happens when the valves become weakened, resulting in backwards flow of blood.

Spider veins tend to appear more commonly on the face, thighs, feet, inside of the legs, and ankles, but they can as well occur on the stomach. On the face, they tend to appear on the nose and cheeks, but they can occur anywhere else.

Although spider veins are usually not a health concern – they typically go away in a few months’ time – they may be an aesthetic concern. If they are, then you may benefit from using one of the following home remedies for spider veins:

Cayenne Pepper

Cayenne pepper is rich in capsaicin which is known to help increase blood circulation and relieve pain. Capsaicin has also been found to enhance the effectiveness of other herbal remedies.

For instance, some studies have showed that Ginkgo biloba (another herbal remedy for spider veins) is 75 percent more effective when used alongside cayenne pepper.

How to use cayenne pepper to get rid of spider veins:

• To a cup of water, add ¼ tsp. of cayenne pepper. Mix well and drink it once every day (preferably in the morning) for 1 week.
• Increase the amount of cayenne pepper to ½ tsp. in the second week, ¾ in the third week, and 1 tablespoon thereafter for a further period of one month.

Apple Cider Vinegar

Apple cider vinegar ranks among the most popular home remedies for spider veins. It works by increasing the level of blood circulation in the affected areas of the body. Here is how to use apple cider vinegar to get rid of spider veins:

1. Soak a clean cotton cloth with apple cider vinegar
2. Place the cloth on the affected area of your body and allow it to sit on for between 15 and 2 minutes
3. Repeat the process 2 to 3 times daily for a month or until spider veins vanish.

Witch Hazel

The astringent properties of witch hazel makes it an equally good topical spider veins removal options. You can look for witch hazel extract at natural food stores. Your local drugstore may also stock it. To use this herbal remedy:

1. Soak a cotton ball in witch hazel extract
2. Dab it on the affected area of skin for 3 to 5 minutes
3. Repeat 2 to 3 times daily until the spider veins have vanished

Vitamin E

Applying vitamin E oil on the face is a fantastic home remedy for facial spider veins. You may use it alongside witch hazel as follows:

1. Mix 1 tablespoon of vitamin E oil with ½ tablespoon of witch hazel.
2. Apply the mixture on the area of the skin affected by spider veins
3. Allow it time to dry and finally rinse the area with water
4. Repeat the process 3 times each day, but should irritation occur, discontinue this remedy.

Castor Oil

The anti-inflammatory and stimulating properties of castor oil and this coupled with its ability to enhance blood circulation and prevent clotting of blood in the veins makes it another highly effective home remedy for spider veins.

1. Apply some castor oil on the affected area of the body
2. Cover the area with warm flannel for 20 to 30 minutes.
3. Repeat this process twice each day until symptoms of spider veins have receded.

How to Get Rid of Spider Veins Naturally

If you are wondering how to get rid of spider veins naturally, then you will want to consider one or more of the natural spider vein treatment options listed below:

Oranges (And Other Vitamin C Sources)

Vitamin C plays an important role in production of collagen and elastin, both of which are important for maintenance of structural integrity of blood vessels. This makes it one of the easiest but most effective natural home remedies for spider veins.

You can easily increase your intake of vitamin C by taking an orange – and other citrus fruits – every day. Red peppers and cauliflowers are also good sources of vitamin C and worthy considerations if looking to get rid of spider veins naturally.

Ginger

Ginger improves spider veins by breaking up fibrin – a blood protein that collects in area affected by spider veins – while at the same time improving blood circulation. Ginger is also known to have a blood thinning effect which may as well help to boost your heart’s ability to pump blood through the spider veins affected area.

A word of caution though: If you are on any potential blood-thinning medications, such as those used for high blood pressure, you will want to talk to your doctor prior to increasing your dietary intake of ginger.

Here is how to make ginger tea for spider veins removal:

1. Place some grated or powdered ginger into a small pot and then pour in a cup of boiling water
2. Cover the pot and allow it some time to steep, preferably 10 minutes
3. Strain the tea and add some honey to sweeten it. If you don’t mind chewing ginger, you can as well skip straining.
4. Take the tea 2 to 3 times a day until spider veins have disappeared.

Bilberry

This purple colored berries have long history in treatment of diarrhea, eye problems, inflammations (particularly in the throat and mouth), and blood circulation.

The blood circulation boosting effect of bilberry, coupled with its ability to strengthen blood vessel walls and antioxidant properties that combat the damaging effect of free radicals on your veins make it a good spider vein removal option.

It however deserves a mention at this point that bilberry may lower blood sugar levels. It is thus important to consult your doctor if you have diabetes before you start to take bilberry.  You should also not take bilberry extract alongside any anti-inflammatory medications.

Take 20-40mg of bilberry extract 3 times every day until the condition has healed, but not for more than 6 weeks. An extract containing 25% anthocyanidins and 20-40mg bilberry is particularly recommended. Ask at your local health food store.

Coconut Oil and Mustard Oil

Massage with oil is a centuries old spider vein removal technique. Massage helps to boost blood circulation which in turn gets rid of and prevents the formation of spider veins.

Mustard oil is believed to not only improve blood circulation but also strengthen blood vessel valves. As for coconut oil, it is said to penetrate deep into the skin and repair blood capillaries while restoring normal skin coloration.

1. Warm some mustard oil, coconut oil, or a mixture of both for a few minutes.
2. Take a few drops of the oil and apply it all over the area affected by spider veins.
3. Massage the area gently for a few minutes
4. Repeat this 2-3 times daily until you get rid of the spider veins

High Fiber Foods

Taking high fiber foods in your diet is one of the best natural remedies for spider veins, particularly those that occur on the stomach.

Fiber helps to facilitate easy bowel movements and combat constipation which often puts excessive pressure on blood veins, resulting in the appearance of spider veins. Foods with high fiber content range from flaxseeds to carrots, beans, oats, peas and berries.

More Tips to Get Rid of Spider Veins naturally

In addition to the above natural home remedies for spider veins, here are some more tips to consider:

• Include lots of bioflavonoids (antioxidants) containing foods in your diet such as grape fruits (grapefruit extracts will also work just fine) to improve your vascular health.
• Exercise regularly to increase blood circulation. Simple exercises like walking 30 minutes every day can give significant improvement in your condition. For spider veins on the legs, you will also want to do some leg toning exercises.
• Limit your salt intake as this is one of the common underlying factors for spider veins
• Avoid wearing high heels as they often put stress on your veins, culminating in spider veins
• Avoid smoking and excessive drinking of alcohol
• Avoid sitting with your legs crossed for too long as this limits blood circulation in your legs
• Keep your legs elevated by placing a pillow beneath them as you lie on your back to increase blood circulation
• Consider losing some pounds if you are overweight. Being overweight place extra pressure on your legs, which often leads to spider veins.

Herbal Remedies for Spider Veins

With an ever growing interest in herbal medicine, it is no longer a preserve of the Chinese. We wouldn’t have finished this article without including some herbal remedies for spider veins, so here we go:

Ginkgo Biloba

The herb Ginkgo biloba has been shown to be effective in spider vein treatment. It helps to strengthen the vein wall tissues and improve blood circulation.

Take 40mg of ginkgo biloba extract three times each day until the spider veins have vanished, recommends the authors of the book, “”Natural Remedies: Nondrug Healing Strategies That Work Best”. For best results, they also recommend looking for extract with a ratio of 50:1.

Gotu Kola

This herb has clocked hundreds of years of beneficial use for venous problems, particularly those involving fluid retention in the legs. It is known to reduce swelling, strengthen the walls of the blood vessels, and boost blood circulation.

In addition, Gotu kola also lowers the level of certain hormones that rise when one is suffering from spider veins.

All these combine to make for a strong spider veins treatment option which has seen this herb get increasingly popular among herbal home remedies for spider veins. Gotu kola is widely available nowadays in health food stores where it is sold in the form of capsules, tablets, dried herbs, tincture, ointment, and tea.

To use Gotu kola for removal of spider veins:

1. Take Gotu kola tea prepared by steeping dried leaves in warm water 3 times a day
2. Take 30-60 Gotu Kola tincture drops every day until spider veins have cleared. Your herbalist may give you different dosage instructions.
3. Take a Gotu kola capsule 3 times each day.
4. Take 180-200 mg of Gotu kola extract – divided into 2 to 3 doses – a day. Ideally, go for extract that contains 40% asiaticoside, 29-30% madecassic acid, 29-30% asiatic acid, and 1-2% madecassoside. This is just a general guideline; your herbalist may recommend a different dosage.

A word of caution: Gotu kola may have harmful effects on the liver and should thus not be used for a period exceeding 6 weeks. It is in the same regard in order to talk to your doctor first if you have any liver conditions.

Horse Chestnut

Horse chestnut extracts are rich in saponins and tannins and have strong anti-inflammatory properties. Horse chestnut also helps to strengthen blood vessel walls and restore their elasticity, which in turn has positive benefits on blood circulation.

This makes horse chestnut an effective treatment for poor blood circulation and associated problems.  In fact many herbalists believe that horse chestnut is the best remedy for not only swelling but also itching, pain, and fatigue that may be associated with spider veins and varicose veins.

Here is how to get rid of spider veins with horse chestnut:

1. Take 250mg of standardized horse chestnut extract every day divided into 2 to 3 doses until your spider veins have vanished
2. Mix 1 tablespoon of horse chestnut with 10 tablespoons of witch hazel. Apply the mixture to the area of the body affected by spider veins.
3. Apply one of the many topical creams that contain horse chestnut extract to the affected area until the spider veins go away. Follow the directions provided on the label carefully.

Butcher’s Broom

Butcher’s broom is an increasingly popular herbal plant in the lily family that is rich in ruscogenins, important anti-inflammatory compounds. It helps to boost collagen production and thus strengthen veins while improving blood circulation.

In addition, Ruscogenins also help to smoothen the muscles in the walls of blood veins, thus restoring their natural shape. This makes spider veins less visible.

It is recommended that you take 100-300mg of Butcher broom’s extract (in capsules) 3 times daily, but your herbalist may give you a different dosage.