Varicose Veins: How It Works, Explained Simply

Video Transcript

Varicose veins are enlarged, twisting veins that bulge just beneath the skin, most often in the legs. To understand why they form, it helps to look inside the vein. Healthy leg veins use one-way valves to move blood upward, against gravity, back toward the heart. When those valves no longer close completely, blood leaks backward and pools in the vein below. The pooled blood raises the pressure inside the vein. Over time the wall stretches, the vein widens, and it begins to twist. Close to the skin, that widened, twisting vein is what you see bulging at the surface. Family history, age, pregnancy, and long hours spent standing all raise the chance of developing them, and they are more common in women. They are often more than a cosmetic concern. Many people notice aching, heaviness, or swelling that builds through the day. Because the underlying valve problem does not correct itself, these changes tend to develop gradually over years. This video is for general education only. It is not medical advice. Ask your doctor what's right for you.