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Conditions

Varicose Veins

Varicose veins (Photo from Wellcome Trust)

Your legs might look an aerial view of a flesh-coloured mountain range, but varicose veins are a very common condition. Rare in people under 20, but more common with age and pregnancy, women tend to be more affected than men, with approximately 30% of women developing varicose veins in their life time, compared to only 15% of men. Varicose veins are swollen and enlarged veins, which are usually blue or dark purple in colour and lumpy, bulging, or twisted in appearance. They occur when blood collects in veins with damaged or weakened valves, which usually work to prevent blood destined for the heart from travelling backwards. It’s a bit like the directional arrows that usher IKEA customers through the store. If everyone just buys their £7 uplighter and moves on, all runs smoothly. But if the system breaks down and a few bargain-hunting renegades push their trolley against the flow, then we’ll see multiple clogs forming! Always an unpleasant sight.

What the Men in White Coats Say

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I am 22 and i have terrible varicose veins all up the whole of my legs. They are getting worse by the week and am currently taking horse chestnut tablets to help. Whether these will help – i don't know.
i don't have any pain with them but the treatments for them are not a guarantee that they won't come back or even come back worse. Both my Mum, Nan and aunt all have them so unfortunatly it means that i was always going to get them. Its just very upsetting to have them so bad so young. The summer is the worst time as you feel so self conscience in nice summer dresses etc… Hopefully fingers crossed that the herbal tablets help to slow down the possiblity of anymore developing.

i am 14 and my mum had varacus veins and she has had them for a while due to standing in high heels for long periods of time for 10 years whilst at work, just recently she went into hospital and had them surgically removed and she said she feels much better for them being removed and will now wear skirts, and she would go through it again she feels so much better after it (: xx

i am 19 years old and have realy bad varicose vains all down the backs of my lags and they are raised and sore it sometimes feels like a pins prickin me over and over again when i walk and sometimes it gets that bad i struggle 2 walk its causeing me great discumfort.i have been and seen my gp several times and they say they cant do anything to help me because of the nature off my job because it envolves lifting but im currently at college aswell so i need to keep my job to finish my course.is there any other things i could do to stop the pain.the doctors comments was i hade to pack in my job or be pregnant to get the vains removed on the nhs but i dont wan to do any of these as my job is relevent for my future and i dont want a child???

I'm 19 years old and have a varicose vein on my penis. It's more obvious when I stand up but when I lay down I can see it if I touch the vein (blocking bloodflow) and it becomes hard and big.

Is there anything I can do to make it disappear?

I have varicous veins on both of my legs especaially on the back of my right knee it's big purple and does give alot of pain especailly when i stand for long period of time which i do because i work in a hospital and i also have lots of spider web looking veins going all up my legs which are also dark purple colour. they started to apear when i had mt second child and got worse after my third child i am 30 years old. I am over weight i have been to my GP for help but they tell me there not that bad for removing and losing weight will help but i am finding it really difficult to do so. what else can i do i really need some help

im 16, iv got the one most disgusting vain on the back of my left leg, its over 15 cm long and about 2mm high, iv had it as long as i can remember but the last 2 years its got bigger and raised more. is there anything i can have done, dose laser treatment last long? or would i need surgery for a longer lasting treatment?

I have bad vaicose veins i both legs. One leg it goes from near the top of my thigh right down my leg and the other leg it is on the bottom half of my leg. I have had the same as many others where the gp has said they are not bad enough to be treated although they are causing me some pain. I have now started butchers broom and horse chestnut tablets as have heard this may help. Am willing to give anything a try!

i am a 15 year old girl and i have them on my thighs but they dont buldge out they are just there. what actaully causes them because i'm not overweight, i exercise daily (walking) and i eat healthly? both my parents have them and i was also wondering can you inherit them or is it just a coincidence? thanks.

I am 17 and have a varicose vein, I have had it for probable two years now, is this normal to have one at such a young age?

I'm a young man of 20, I've had like very brite purple veins showing on my feet and Knee area since I was about 16. I don't suffer any pain or anything, but they do seem to discolour the area with a dull, almost purple colour to my skin. Is this likely to be vericose veins?




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