Risk Factors

There are a number of risk factors which lead to varicose and spider veins, including:

• Heredity – If your parents and grandparents had varicose veins, you are at increased risk.
• Gender – Women are three times more likely to develop varicose veins than men.
• Age – As we age, the tissues in our vein walls lose elasticity, causing the valve system to fail.
• Pregnancy – Blood volume increases during pregnancy and hormonal changes contribute to vein enlargement.

Additional factors that may contribute to the development of venous disease:

• Occupations that require prolonged standing
• Obesity
• Deep venous thrombosis (DVT) – “leg blood clots”
• Physical trauma

Your varicose veins may need treatment if you experience:

• Pain or aching
  
• Burning
• Heaviness
• Tiredness
• Swelling
• Throbbing
• Tenderness around the vein
• Numbness
• Darkening of the skin
• Skin ulcers