Varicose vein surgery is one of the invasive treatment options for resolving varicose veins or the twisted, bulging veins on your legs. This procedure involves creating incisions on your legs in several areas around the affected vein to tie and remove it. Because of the minor tissue damage patients will receive, this solution requires lengthy downtime and careful aftercare instructions.
So when can you shower after having varicose vein surgery? You can shower or bathe when the doctor has already advised you to remove your surgical or compression dressings after varicose vein surgery. This usually takes around a week or 2. You can have a sponge bath in the meantime as long as you carefully avoid your incisions.
How Long to Wait Until I Can Shower after Varicose Vein Surgery?
Varicose vein surgery or varicose vein ligation and stripping leave you with healing incisions and stitches. Patients can only shower or bathe when their healthcare provider has advised them to remove their compression dressing and told them it’s safe. This usually takes a week or 2.
Patients aren’t advised to take a shower or bath following their varicose vein ligation and stripping procedure because it would risk softening the skin and reopening the wound. You must first wait until it’s completely healed.
You can have a sponge bath while you’re still recovering from your operation, as long as you won’t get your wounds wet. As for keeping your incisions clean, your doctor will advise you on the proper ways to tend to your surgical wounds with the right solutions and clean dressings.
Other Aftercare Steps to Consider After Varicose Vein Surgery
Patients who have just undergone varicose vein ligation and stripping must follow the necessary post-treatment care to avoid risks like infection and bleeding. These also involve a few restrictions and reminders to ensure a smooth recovery and successful results. Following your operation, your doctor will instruct you to:
- Ensure wearing compression dressings to reduce bruising.
- Stay at home and get enough rest for 3 to 7 days to promote a smooth healing process and reduce bruising or reopening your wounds.
- Avoid strenuous activities for 2 weeks to avoid bleeding.
- Keep yourself hydrated.
- Take fiber supplements or mild laxatives as prescribed by your doctor to regulate your bowel movement.
- Take the right pain medications, antibiotics, and blood thinners as prescribed by your doctor.
- Avoid taking off your compression dressings until your doctor advised it.
- Keep your dressings clean and dry.
- Once the doctor has advised you to remove your compression dressings, you can clean your surgical wounds with warm, soapy water. Pat it dry after cleaning.
- Avoid using alcohol or hydrogen peroxide on your wounds.
- Cover your wounds with a gauze bandage, and change it daily.
- You may apply a cold compress on the treated leg for 10 to 20 minutes every few hours to reduce pain.
- Elevate the treated leg by propping it up on a pillow 2 to 3 days after your operation to reduce pain and bruising.
Many patients can already move around after a week but with caution. Full recovery from varicose vein ligation and stripping takes 3 to 4 weeks, depending on the severity of your varicose veins.
Side Effects
Side effects following your operation are pretty normal. These reactions are your body’s reaction to tissue damage from the surgery as it tries to heal from your wounds. Some side effects to expect are:
- Discomfort
- Bruising
- Stiffness
Call your healthcare provider immediately if you notice the following signs:
- Severe pain that doesn’t get better with pain medications
- Coldness, paleness, numbness, or tingling sensation in the leg
- Incisions coming open
- Loose stitches
- Bleeding
- Signs of infection:
- Warmth
- Swelling
- Redness
- Red streaks
- Pus from the incision
- Fever
- Nausea and vomiting
- Loss of consciousness
- Troubled breathing
- Sudden shortness of breath, chest pain, and coughing up blood
- Worsening condition
The Best Minimally Invasive Varicose Vein Treatments at Vein Center Doctor
Varicose vein ligation and stripping require downtime. While it’s a low-risk procedure, there are still chances of an allergic reaction, blood clot, infection, and nerve irritation. If having varicose vein surgery isn’t suitable for you due to work or other hesitations, you may consider the best nonsurgical options at Vein Center Doctor.
| Varicose Vein Treatment | Description |
| Sclerotherapy | The affected vein will be closed by administering a sclerosant that will cause the vein wall linings to scar. The blood will flow to a different vein. |
| VenaSeal | A medical glue will be injected into the diseased vein via a catheter to seal it, the vein wall lining together, effectively closing it up. The blood will then flow to a healthier vein. |
| Radiofrequency Ablation Therapy | The heat from the radiofrequency energy will be applied to your vein wall lining via a catheter to cause a reaction and close it up. The blood will reroute to a different blood vessel. |
These treatment options from Vein Center Doctor require minimal downtime, so you may resume your normal activities with only a few restrictions. Patients can usually shower for at least 2 days following their treatment.
The Best Varicose Vein Treatments at Vein Center Doctor
Varicose vein ligation and stripping treatment creates incisions on your skin to access affected veins and tie and remove them. Because of this tissue damage, you can expect a downtime of up to 4 weeks or more to allow your wounds to heal. Patients aren’t advised to bathe or shower until they can remove their compression dressings, which usually takes up to 2 weeks. Because of these restrictions, some patients opt for minimally invasive solutions.
Vein Center Doctor is one of the most trusted clinics in New York and New Jersey for providing the best varicose vein treatments. We offer minimally invasive treatment options with our cutting-edge technology, performed by highly-trained professionals. Get started on your treatment journey to remove varicose veins today with convenient and advanced solutions. Book an appointment with us to learn more.
