How a Varicose Vein Happens

Updated on: August 18, 2014

It is just human nature that both men and women want their legs to look as good as possible. For example, men often like to go jogging or do other kinds of exercises to make their calf muscles look more muscular. When it comes to women, they want their legs to be slender, and not too fat or too thin. Legs also figure prominently into female fashion.

So, when a woman discovers a varicose vein on her leg, it comes as both an annoyance and, for some women, a shock. The latter because a varicose vein, quite honestly, looks quite ugly. The vein itself is very puffy, and is either bluish or greenish purple. This kind of vein usually shows up on the lower legs, specifically on the calves.

A varicose vein is caused by pressure (be it through excessive weight gain or various kinds of exercise) that is placed on the veins of the legs. Because of this pressure, the veins swell in order to accommodate the blood that needs to circulate through them.

Most of the time, a varicose vein is not something to be worried about, since it is mostly a cosmetic nuisance. However, if the leg on which this kind of vein appears frequently aches or is stiff, then that could be an indication of additional circulatory problems such as a clot. In this case, it is important for the woman to have the vein checked out by a doctor, who might recommend such procedures as sclerotherapy or laser treatments.

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