A vulvar varicose vein is a dilated vein that sometimes creates a bulge in the labia majora. It appears in cases of venous insufficiency and more particularly during pregnancy or menopause. There are effective ways to prevent and relieve it; let’s stop suffering in silence from this taboo!
What does a vulvar varicose vein look like? Explanatory diagrams
Do you see these bulging, bluish, and twisted veins that run along certain legs from the lower calf to the knee crease? These are varicose veins. They appear when the veins are not doing their job properly and blood stagnates lazily instead of circulating joyfully. When this phenomenon affects the vulva, it may remain invisible to the naked eye or present one of the following aspects:
© Herapreg
© Herapreg
© Herapreg
Swollen, painful, or itchy vulva… what are the symptoms?
According to women, vulvar varicose veins can go completely unnoticed (the lucky asymptomatic ones), cause discomfort, or even be downright debilitating. Here are the signs that may alert you:
- The sensation of heaviness in the vagina
- The feeling of having a swollen vulva
- Pain that is sometimes unbearable when standing
- Itching
- Difficulty walking
- Pain during and after sexual intercourse
A tip: If “supporting” your vulva by applying pressure underneath with your hand, applying cold, and lying down relieve you, you may be suffering from a vulvar varicose vein.
Pregnancy or menopause: life moments conducive to their appearance
It’s (still) the fault of hormones!
The peculiarity of vulvar veins is that they are equipped with hormonal receptors. In fact, they are sensitive to hormonal variations that occur during the menstrual cycle, when taking contraceptives such as the pill, during menopause or the hormonal surge of pregnancy .
Pregnant women are by far the most affected
It is at the moment when our body undergoes a hormonal tidal wave combined with an increase in blood volume and dilation of the veins in the pelvic area, which are themselves compressed by the uterus and the weight of the baby, that vulvar varicose veins prefer to show up. It should be noted that they tend to appear during the second trimester of pregnancy and more readily in multiparous women starting from baby 2! The good news is that in 90% of cases, they disappear after childbirth or after stopping breastfeeding.
At the time of menopause
How to relieve pain starting today?
Compression stockings or compression panties?
Until then, healthcare professionals prescribed compression stockings, tights, or socks. This solution for leg varicose veins often remains ineffective or insufficient when one suffers in the vulvar area. The Pelvinity compression panties have been specially designed to immediately relieve vulvar varicose veins and pelvic heaviness. Created in 2021, it has been tested by pregnant women and is now recommended by healthcare professionals. In general, the use of compression solutions also prevents blood vessels from losing more tone.
A tip: Doing this simple test will help you know if the Pelvinity underwear is the solution you need: Apply pressure with the palm of your hand on the pelvic area. If you feel relief, then it will be effective.
Marie, Freelance midwife
“ Starting from the sixth month of my pregnancy, I began to have bothersome and painful vulvar varices daily. Indeed, standing for long periods was difficult to bear. Despite compression tights and venotonics, I was not relieved of the pelvic heaviness related to the varices. Thus, I tested the Pelvinity underwear thanks to an acquaintance who gave me the contact details ofEmmanuelle. She immediately provided me with comfort and allowed me to continue working as a freelance midwife. I appreciated the support of the pelvis and pelvic area. ”
Medications and natural remedies
The doctor or midwife who is monitoring the pregnancy may prescribe venotonic medications to improve the tone of the vein walls (but they only work in 50% of women) and an anti-itch cream (with zinc oxide) if needed. He/she may also recommend alternative medicines such as homeopathy, herbal medicine (especially red vine teas), osteopathy, or acupuncture. Unlike compression underwear, these treatments should be considered over time to see results.
Daily actions to slow the appearance or worsening of vulvar varices
● Avoid crossing your legs
● Avoid wearing tight clothing
● Avoid hot baths, prefer cold water jets from the ankles to the pelvic area
● Apply cold to constrict the vessels. You can use a bag of frozen peas or make a homemade ice pack. (The recipe: take a sanitary towel. Wet it. Cut it in half and place it in the freezer. Wait two hours… it’s ready!)
● Do draining massages starting from the toes and moving up to the top of the thigh
● Walk! Walk! (If it is not painful and there are no contraindications)
● Go to the pool, Pilates, or Yoga classes
● Elevate the feet of the bed
Should you worry about delivery?
If you are pregnant and suffering from vulvar varices, rest assured, there is no contraindication to a vaginal delivery. In extreme and rare cases, if the medical team assesses a risk of hemorrhage, they may prefer a cesarean section. It is better to discuss the topic before the big day to reassure yourself.
Phlebologist, gynecologist, midwife… When and whom to consult?
If 5 to 10% of pregnant women are diagnosed, we can imagine that many more suffer from vulvar varices without knowing it. However, there are treatments, provided you start with a good diagnosis.
Which healthcare professional should you turn to?
This condition lies at the intersection of the fields of phlebologists, gynecologists, and midwives, making it sometimes difficult to know whom to approach. Initially, make an appointment with your midwife or gynecologist who will conduct a clinical examination of the vulva, don't hesitate to request an examination while standing, as this enhances the visibility of the dilated veins. Depending on the presence or absence of other varicose signs on your lower limbs and your medical history (venous insufficiency or thrombosis, hereditary health issues...), he or she may refer you to a vascular doctor for a more thorough examination, such as a Doppler ultrasound (an ultrasound that allows observation of the veins in the legs and their blood flow).
When should you consult?
To this question, we respond: “as soon as you have a doubt!”.
Indeed, if you don’t do it to relieve your vulva, do it to relieve your mind; both will thank you!
Vulvar varicose vein… why me?
Why is it so taboo?
Talking about a varicose vein on the calf is fine, but on the vulva, it’s taboo! Just like other female ailments such as endometriosis or pelvic congestion syndrome, vulvar varicose veins are kept secret. So why is that? There can be several reasons.
“A vulvar varicose vein is a bit embarrassing…”
“It’s not very glamorous…”
“Oh really? It’s not normal to be in pain?”
The third is that in a society still steeped in patriarchal precepts, women who go through the delicate experience of pregnancy or menopause have received the same brief for generations: they should expect to be inconvenienced, to see their bodies change, to not ask too many questions, and to accept suffering in silence for the sake of the baby or because it is inappropriate to talk about "these things."
Fortunately, today we have the opportunity to open the dialogue on these sensitive topics to dispel taboos and talk about solutions.
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