Who is affected by Varicose Veins?

 Although the underlying cause of varicose veins is unknown, a number of risk factors have been identified

• Heredity - Varicose veins tend to run in families. If your parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles or other family members have had varicose veins, its likely that you'll develop them. A defect in the vein walls or valves is the greatest contributing factor in 70 percent of cases. 

• Age - Varicose veins are a progressive condition that worsens in frequency and severity with age. As we age, elastic fibers in our bodily tissues break down, leading to wrinkles in the skin and weakening of the blood vessels. 

• Gender - Primarily due to the production of progesterone (one of the major female hormones), women are more likely than men to get varicose vein - by a ratio of approximately four to one. 

• Obesity- Excess body weight increases the pressure on vein valves and can lead to their weakening.

• Hormonal changes - Changes in hormone levels brought on by puberty, contraceptives, pregnancy, menopause and hormone replacement therapy are risk factors for varicose veins. 

• Pregnancy - Increase progesterone levels, blood volume in the body and pressure on the pelvic veins all contribute to the formation of varicose veins. 70 percent of women develop venous (vein-related) problems during pregnancy. These include fluid retention; pain, heaviness, or fatigue in the feet and legs; mild edema (swelling in the feet and legs); and spider veins. 20 percent of pregnant women develop full-blown varicose veins. Heredity is a major factor, but hormonal changes and the baby's increasing weight place additional stress on the veins in the mother's legs. 50 percent of new mothers suffer from vein-related conditions for the rest of their lives, with one in 10 affected by varicose veins can lead to chronic edema, phlebitis (vein inflammation), thrombophlebitis (vein inflammation associated with a blood clot), and blood clots.