Warning: The Embarrassing Bodies website contains images of an explicit medical nature and nudity in a medical context.

Click Continue to proceed or Back for other Channel 4 programmes about health and wellbeing.

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

Comments

You can share your experiences and thoughts with other Embarrassing Bodies site-users below. Comments are reviewed before they are published.
Please note: Unfortunately Channel 4 cannot respond to individual inquiries. If you have any concerns, you can check out the Channel 4 Health site or NHS Choices, but ultimately it is always best to check with a health professional.

i am 30 and i have bad varicose veins everyday when i go in the bathroom and see myself i cry am so sad i dont like my legs and i dont have money to do laser treatment

I would like to know where should I go to see any doctor or clinic in London where are deal with patients, who suffer on varicose vains. Thank you!

I am 28 years old and suffering from varicose vains.I had an operation 3 years ago on my left leg but everything come back and having on my both legs(left a bad one).I have been currently refferal to the Whittington Hospital and after 3th visit there at the hospital,where each time i have been seen by different doctor.The last visit end up that the doctor said " I wont't risk it" and he got up and left me.

hi iam 33 years old i have always had varcoise veins in my right leg after having 3 kids they became a lot worse bulging ugly basically i felt like a freak i never wore skirts went on the beach etc this was really getting me down when all you see on telly was woman with perfect legs i felt so unattractive i finally went to my gp who was very helpful i was refered to the hospital were ive just had them removed its a very painfull operation not to be taken lightly!!i just wanted to let people khow that you can get help and a lot of people have varcoise veins and you can get help for them

Hi I'm 22 years old and a really active sporty male I love playing football at high levels but I have been seriously set back over the years by Varicose veins they are so noticable on my left and right leg and I ache for days and real affects me in every aspect daily. More recently I was playing football and my right leg just stop working. I came off and went to hospital I was diagnosed with Deep Vein Thrombosis due to the veins and am now on the most awful antibiotics and could even need further treatment to thin my blood all this could have been prevented but where I live they don't fund the surgery so I was turned down. Please Help

Hi there! I'm 22, and I've just (in the last week) had a really aching leg, but just the left one. My sister's 24 and has bad varicose veins down her right thigh and may be having surgery on them. This petrified me as I have dark veins too, so I did things to improve my circulation (cut out caffine, drank more water, took horse chestnut, did half an hour of excercise every morning) but more recently some of them have become more prominant and im kept awake at night by the aching. And even more recently it's been a really sharp pain exactly where the veins are. The doctor said there's no way it could be my circulation because I'm not old, or overweight and I don't smoke. He gave me Quinine Sulphate tablets and I've taken them the last three days but don't know whether to continue. Please help, I'm super confused!!! Thankyou

hi my kate and i have veins on my legs and i im sooooooooooo inbarrass of it please healllllllllllllllp

I am 20 years old and i have noticed small purple vains on my thighs, they seem to be getting worse and spreading up my thighs.There not swollen.I am very concerned about this and dont no what to do about it.

I have a mass of superficial veins on my lower left leg and several thread veins on my lower right leg. They are so unsightly that I feel I cannot wear a skirt or shorts and as they are quite low down on my left leg, even cropped trousers are not ideal. I have tried lazar treatment and would consider having more. I would like to know if there is any other sorts of treatment that may help get rid of them.
I would like to know where to go for treatment also (I live in Coventry)

I have a tendency to get bruises that don't go away. Having bumped my leg quite hard during rock climbing, I sustained bruises on my shin which, after 2 years, still remain under the skin as a shadow. The surface of my leg is slightly bumpy too. A recent tumble from my bike (on the positive side, this proves I'm active) has also resulted in bruises, which after 2 months still show. Is there anything I can do to break up the old bruising? Also, when I get new bruises is there anything I can do to treat the bruise whilst it is till fresh. I am 44 years of age and have slight circulatory problems in my legs since I was little. (oedema, restless legs etc.)




This will be published. Surnames, nicknames or usernames are not allowed


Your email address will be kept confidential and will NOT be published - it is only being collected here in case Channel 4 were to need to contact you in relation to your comment.


Please don't swear or be rude in your comments, as they will not be added to the site. Please do not use your full name when posting comments. If in doubt, refer to the community guidelines

By posting on this website you are agreeing to abide by our community guidelines


Important Notice

The information provided on this website (including any NHS Choices medical information) is for use as information or for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical care by a qualified doctor or other qualified healthcare professional. We do not warrant that any information included within this site will meet your health or medical requirements. This Embarrassing Bodies site does not provide any medical or diagnostic services so you should always check with a health professional if you have any concerns about your health.


If you want to embed our videos in your site, read our embedding T&Cs here


Videos

  1. Christian Jessen

    Dr Christian Jessen

    Find out more about Dr Christian Jessen

  2. Dr Dawn Harper

    Dr Dawn Harper

    Find out more about Dr Dawn Harper

  3. Dr Pixie McKenna

    Dr Pixie McKenna

    Find out more about Dr Pixie McKenna

  4. Feet Body Check with Dr Christian Jessen

    Body Check: Feet

    Dr Christian talks about common foot conditions and the importance of checking your feet.


Advertisement