Varicose veins affect nearly 40 per cent of the population. Due to hormonal factors, women are affected by this condition three times as much as men.

Vein Disease

What is vein disease? In contrast to arteries, which take blood from the heart to the extremities, veins - through a series of small valves that pump blood upwards - bring blood back to the heart from the extremities.

There are two main systems of veins in the legs:

• a deep system, which brings about 90 per cent of the blood back to the heart; and
• a more superficial system, which brings about 10 per cent back to this area.

Between these, is a third system - of perforating veins or perforators - which transports blood from the superficial to the deep system.

Varicose and spider veins occur solely in the superficial system, when the walls of the veins lose their elasticity and the pumping valves stop functioning properly. This causes the blood to flow back down, creating a reverse process called ebb or reflux, which can be heard with a Doppler machine, and heard and seen with Duplex ultrasound.

What causes varicose and spider veins?

• Heredity is the number one factor. They usually run in the family ("like mother, like daughter")
• Hormones are also a factor: puberty, pregnancy, menopause, the birth control pill
• Obesity
• Aging
• Prolonged periods of standing (common to nurses, pharmacists, teachers, waitresses)

What are the different types of veins?