The truth about varicose veins

About 60 per cent of the adult population suffer from varicose or thread veins, but what causes these disfiguring, painful veins and what can be done about them?

Your body has two types of blood vessels: arteries that carry oxygen and nutrient-rich red blood from your heart to your muscles and organs, and veins that return 'used' deoxygenated blood back to your heart.

The deep veins located within the muscles carry 90 per cent of the blood travelling from your legs back to your chest. The other 10 per cent of veins are located closer to the surface, often visible, and are less well supported.

The superficial veins drain blood into the deep veins via small perforating veins. Contraction of the leg muscles help your veins pump the blood upward, while an intricate system of one-way valves prevents blood from draining back down the leg into the superficial veins.

Why do varicose veins appear?
Sometimes the valves stop working as well as they should and no longer seal properly, making it difficult for the muscles to push the blood upwards. So instead of flowing from one valve to the next, the blood pools in the superficial vein, increasing venous pressure and causing it to bulge and twist. The result is varicose veins. As veins closest to your skin have less muscular support than deep veins, superficial veins are more likely to become varicose.

How harmful are they?
Although painful and disfiguring, visible varicose veins are usually harmless. When inflamed, they can become tender to the touch and can hinder circulation, causing swollen ankles, itchy skin and aching in the affected limb.

On rare occasions a deep interior leg vein can become varicose. These are not usually visible, but can cause swelling or aching throughout the leg. Blood clots can form in deep varicose veins.

Varicose or thread?
If you suffer from varicose veins, you're not alone. Varicose veins or a related disorder, thread veins, affects up to 60 per cent of the adult population. Thread veins, also known as telangiectasia or broken capillaries, are formed by the dilation of a small group of blood vessels located close to the surface of the skin and are most commonly found on the legs and face. They look like red or purple 'sunbursts', branched or web patterns, and can cause a dull ache after prolonged standing.

Varicose veins are: