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Varicose veins can be extremely troublesome health ailments, resulting in aches, pains and much more serious complications such as life-threatening blood clots. Enlarged, twisted and swollen veins are caused by faulty valves located at various points within each one.

Generally dark purple or blue, varicose veins are often bulging and noticeably lumpy on the surface of the skin, affecting self-esteem in many cases and potentially preventing the sufferer from feeling comfortable showing their legs in public, especially in women’s cases.

Healthy veins comprise of valves which inhibit blood from either flowing back or not flowing completely. Weak, impaired valves do exactly the opposite to this, allowing the blood to stream back which causes build up. The definition of varicose is simply; enlarged. Many suffer with the ailment in the UK, up to an astonishing 30% of adults are thought to during the later stages of life.

Fortunately in many cases of veins which become varicose, varicose vein treatment isn’t required. Although discomfort and aches are not necessarily nice experiences, they don’t pose any further complications. However, if ulcers appear and blood clots have the potential to occur, action will most likely need to be taken.

In this day and age, varicose veins can be effectively treated through a variety of methods which involve minimal or no surgery whatsoever. Intense light therapy or the more intensive laser treatments implement cutting edge technology which enables the doctor or surgeon to accurately concentrate the pulses on the intended area and depth of vein. These varicose vein treatments are usually carried out over a course of six sessions, with positive effects lasting many years. An alternative to this is sclerotherapy, whereby a chemical is injected directly into the troublesome veins to force the blood within to clot, converting the vein into scar tissue with the hope of eventual clearance from view.

Any part of the human body is susceptible to varicose veins, but most commonly it is the legs that they appear. This is mainly due to the vast amount of walking and standing that a persons’ legs may endure throughout the years. You can imagine the amount of pressure and strain that is created from these daily activities which we don’t really think too much about.

Experts are still uncertain of the exact cause of varicose veins; they most commonly appear for no apparent reason, making them a very mysterious health ailment.

By Sam Hurley Junior Digital Marketing Consultant at FDC studio

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