How Do Varicose Veins Form?
We spend a good deal of time talking about removing varicose veins, so we wanted to step back and look at the science behind these pesky blood vessels. Here’s how varicose veins come to life.
What Are the Biggest Risk Factors for Varicose Veins?
If you’re worried about developing varicose veins, or you already have them and want to know why, you’ve come to the right place.
About 40 million people in the United States have varicose veins, and the odds are very good that they can tick a few of the risk factor boxes for this common vascular condition.
Dr. Satjit Bhusri and the team here at the Vein Institute at Upper East Side Cardiology are leading experts in the field of varicose veins, and we want to share what we know about risk factors here. So read on to see whether you might be in the line of fire when it comes to varicose veins.
Gender matters with varicose veins
If you’re female, we‘ve got some bad news — you’re at least twice as likely as men to develop varicose and spider veins. Hormones — primarily estrogen — play a key role in this gender gap.
Estrogen influences the linings of your blood vessels, and it’s also responsible for your reproductive journey, which can favor varicose veins, as you’ll see with the next risk factor.
Pregnancy and varicose veins
About 40% of women experience varicose veins during pregnancy for a couple of reasons. First, the volume of your blood increases and places more pressure on the veins in your legs. Second, the growing fetus can interfere with blood flow in and out of your legs, especially in late pregnancy.
Aging and your vascular health
Like everything else in your body, your vascular health is influenced by your age, and some natural weakening and degeneration can take place. For example, the veins in your legs are equipped with tiny valves that close after blood passes through, preventing the blood from spilling backward. With age, these valves can weaken, and the end result is what we call chronic venous insufficiency, which often leads to varicose veins.
Weight matters when it comes to varicose veins
Approximately 2 in 5 adults in the United States have obesity, and this number is growing. One of the many side effects of carrying too many pounds is varicose veins. The link between obesity and varicose veins is complex, but the pressure from excess weight can affect blood flow and may damage the valves inside the leg veins.
A sedentary lifestyle is a road to varicose veins
You need strong calf muscles to help push blood out of your legs, and if these muscles are weak, blood can pool in the veins in your legs. So, if you lead a sedentary lifestyle, meaning you’re not moving on your feet as much as you should, you’re at a greater risk for varicose veins.
As you can see, there are many risk factors for varicose veins — some you can’t control and others that you can. And this list isn’t complete. If you want a more detailed and customized assessment of your risks for varicose veins, we’re happy to help.
To get started, we invite you to contact our New York City office on the Upper East Side of Manhattan by clicking here, or you can call us at (212) 752-3464.
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