Varicose Veins

Varicose veins are blood vessels that have become dilated and swollen. Red or purple in color, they tend to appear in the large veins that run the length of the leg, just below the surface of the skin. There are numerous causes of varicose veins, a common condition affecting millions of people, primarily women between the ages of 30 and 70. Learn more about the prevention of varicose veins and varicose vein treatment by reading the information below.

What causes Varicose Veins?

While the exact cause of varicose veins is currently unknown, doctors have determined that varicose veins form when blood vessels become weak and malfunction. With normal functioning, blood vessels carry blood from the lower extremities toward the heart, picking up oxygen along the way. From the feet to the legs and through the body, oxygenated blood gets pumped back into the heart muscle. When one or more of the blood vessels’ valves have stopped closing properly or the vessel walls have become weak, blood in those vessels can no longer flow easily against gravity. Blood then collects in them causing them to swell, bulge, and form varicose veins.

There are a number of factors that seem to contribute to poor blood vessel functioning. Causes of varicose veins may include high blood pressure, smoking, obesity, heredity, and aging. Hormonal shifts and pregnancy may also be causes of varicose veins, although in pregnant women, varicose veins generally disappear within a year of childbirth. Standing for long periods of time has also been linked to poor circulation and may be another one of the causes of varicose veins.

Varicose Vein Treatment

Varicose vein treatment can be performed in a clinical setting or at home. Your particular vein condition will help you determine which type of varicose vein treatment is most appropriate for you.

Laser vein removal, sclerotherapy, and vein removal surgery are among the most popular varicose vein treatments available today. Laser treatments are minimally invasive and typically require only topical anesthesia. They work by targeting affected veins with laser energy, causing them to shrink, burst, or collapse. In sclerotherapy, a micro-needle is used to inject a solution that causes veins to fade. Vein removal surgery is usually needed for more severe cases; it involves removing veins from the affected area through small incisions.