When your legs' smooth and even appearance becomes mottled with the appearance of dark, bulging blood vessels, you’ve developed varicose veins. For most people, it’s a minor cosmetic condition associated with aging.
There are times, though, when varicose veins could be a symptom of deeper and more serious blood flow issues. When you begin to notice the telltale signs of varicose veins, it’s time to visit us at MD Vein & Skin Specialists to rule out health risks.
We can even help with treatments that clear up the cosmetic effects of mild cases. Our physician, Dr. Clement Banda, is an experienced dermatologist and phlebologist with the training and knowledge to diagnose and treat the effects of your varicose vein condition.
The direct cause of varicose veins is the failure of valves within these blood vessels. Since blood flow in your legs often works against gravity, venous valves are nature’s way of keeping blood moving back toward your heart.
This backflow prevention usually works well, but conditions arise where the walls of veins stretch, and valves begin to fail, allowing blood to move backward, where it pools and puts further pressure on vein walls.
This pooling and stretching causes the characteristic appearance of varicose veins, which can range from flesh-colored to blue or purple. When veins are near the surface of the skin, they take on a snaky, bulging appearance.
For most people, varicose veins have few complications or health risks. However, it’s not always wise to dismiss them as harmless. Here are five reasons you may want to visit us for an assessment and treatment.
Any vein in your body could, in theory, become varicose. The symptoms you see are in superficial veins near the skin. When larger, deep veins in the legs become varicose, you can’t see the twisting and discoloration.
More likely, you’d begin to have problems with swollen ankles. Pooled blood in deep veins can form clots that dramatically reduce the rate at which blood returns to the heart. If these clots break loose, they can travel to the lungs, causing a potentially deadly pulmonary embolism.
It’s a condition called deep vein thrombosis (DVT). Dr. Banda can diagnose and treat DVT, so you don’t need to worry about these complications.
Dr. Banda can also help when you’re self-conscious about the way your legs look. We offer a range of treatments to clear your legs of these unsightly veins.
If you notice that your legs get twitchy when you’re tired, and these symptoms arrive about the same time as your varicose veins, there could be a connection. Treatment can help you lose these restless leg moments.
Sometimes, varicose veins create symptoms you can feel. Your legs might feel aching or tired, or you may have more severe pain after standing or sitting for extended periods. Your skin may be itchy around affected veins, or you might experience burning, throbbing, or muscle cramps.
Your body completes its own repairs using supplies delivered by your bloodstream. When varicose veins reduce blood flow, your skin may start to change, becoming damaged more easily. Cuts and scrapes may take longer to heal, and skin ulcers could form.
Treatment for varicose veins not only improves the appearance of your legs, but it can also restore efficient blood flow and reduce varicose vein-related symptoms. Call or click to book a varicose vein assessment with us at MD Vein & Skin Specialists today.
