McKeown Medical
167 Bath Street, Glasgow, G2 4SQ
Varicose Veins: Answering Frequently Asked Questions
Published by Dr Alex Vesey
Date posted — 24.04.25
If you’ve ever noticed bulging, twisted veins on your legs – or felt aching or heaviness after standing for long periods – you might be wondering if you have varicose veins. This common condition affects up to 20% of people, yet many suffer in silence due to a lack of information or access to expert advice.
At McKeown Medical, we believe that understanding your body is the first step to taking care of it. In this article, we’re answering some of the most frequently asked questions about varicose veins, including how they develop, whether they’re dangerous, and the treatment options available.
What are varicose veins and why do they occur?
Varicose veins are enlarged, swollen veins that typically appear on the legs and feet. They happen when the valves inside the veins stop working properly, causing blood to pool and the veins to bulge outward. This is due to increased pressure in the veins over time.
Anyone can develop varicose veins, but they’re more common in women, people over 50, those who are overweight, or individuals who stand for long periods – people like hairdressers or nurses who are on their feet all day at work.
How do I know if I have varicose veins or thread veins?
Varicose veins are usually raised, twisted, and dark blue or purple in colour. They may be accompanied by symptoms like aching, heaviness, or swelling in the legs. Thread veins (also called spider veins), on the other hand, are much smaller, finer veins that appear just beneath the surface of the skin, often in a red, blue, or purple web-like pattern. Very often, both conditions co-exist, and sometimes you need a combination of treatments to get the best results.
If you’re unsure which type you have, a professional consultation can help clarify and guide you toward the most suitable treatment.
What’s the difference between varicose veins and thread veins?
The main differences lie in their size, depth, and associated symptoms.
- Varicose veins: Larger, deeper, and often symptomatic. They can cause discomfort and lead to complications if left untreated.
- Thread veins: Smaller, superficial, and usually a cosmetic issue. They rarely cause pain, but can be a sign of underlying vein problems in some cases.
Do varicose veins hurt?
For some people, varicose veins can be painless. But for others, they can cause aching, throbbing, burning, or a heavy feeling in the legs, especially after standing for long periods. You might also notice cramping or itching around the vein area. If you’re experiencing discomfort, it’s worth discussing it with a medical professional.
Are varicose veins hereditary?
Yes, heredity plays a strong role. If one or both of your parents had varicose veins, your chances of developing them are significantly higher. Other risk factors include pregnancy, hormonal changes, and prolonged standing or sitting.
Are varicose veins dangerous?
While they’re often dismissed as a cosmetic issue, varicose veins can lead to serious complications if left untreated. These include:
- Chronic venous insufficiency
- Skin changes or ulcers
- Superficial thrombophlebitis (inflammation of the veins)
- Deep vein thrombosis (a rare but serious risk)
It’s always better to address them early before complications develop.
Can varicose veins burst?
Yes—although it’s not common, untreated varicose veins can occasionally rupture due to the pressure buildup. This can lead to sudden bleeding under the skin or even through the skin, especially if the vein is close to the surface.
Will varicose veins go away on their own?
Unfortunately, no. Varicose veins won’t disappear without intervention. While lifestyle changes like elevating your legs, wearing compression stockings, or maintaining a healthy weight can help ease symptoms, they won’t eliminate the diseased veins themselves. If left untreated, the condition usually worsens over time.
What treatment options are available for varicose veins?
Varicose veins can usually be effectively treated using minimally invasive treatments. At McKeown Medical, we offer a wide range of options, including:
- VenaSeal™: A medical adhesive that seals the vein shut.
- Radiofrequency Ablation (RFA): Uses heat to close the affected veins.
- Foam Sclerotherapy: A solution is injected to collapse smaller varicose veins or thread veins.
- Microphlebectomy: A technique for removing larger veins through tiny skin incisions.
A consultation with our expert vascular surgeon will help determine which option best suits your condition and lifestyle.
Varicose veins are more than just a cosmetic issue—they can impact your comfort, confidence, and long-term health. At McKeown Medical, our expert team is here to guide you through your options and provide the care you deserve.
If you’re struggling with varicose veins, we’re here to help. Book a consultation today to explore the right treatment for you.
Related Articles
Varicose veins
Can varicose veins cause high blood pressure?
Dr Alex Vesey discusses whether varicose veins can cause high blood pressure.
Varicose veins
Will my varicose veins come back after treatment?
Dr Alex Vesey discusses whether varicose veins can come back after treatment.
Varicose veins
Are varicose veins dangerous?
Dr Alex Vesey discusses whether varicose veins are dangerous.
1 / 3
2 / 3
3 / 3
Varicose veins
Can varicose veins cause high blood pressure?
Dr Alex Vesey discusses whether varicose veins can cause high blood pressure.
Varicose veins
Will my varicose veins come back after treatment?
Dr Alex Vesey discusses whether varicose veins can come back after treatment.
Varicose veins
Are varicose veins dangerous?
Dr Alex Vesey discusses whether varicose veins are dangerous.
Our reviews
Thank you to Dr Alex and all of the team! From my ultrasound scan to my treatment, I felt completely looked after and at ease all the way through. The procedure was easy and I was able to walk home! Thanks to everyone.
Gary - A McKeown Medical patientOctober 2024
We`re absolutely delighted to introduce you to our lovely new doctor, Dr Sharon.
With over 30 years’ experience as a medical doctor and a decade specialising in aesthetic medicine, Dr Sharon brings exceptional skill, warmth and a deeply patient-centred approach to every treatment.
She joins us with extensive expertise in injectables, including advanced toxin and filler techniques, and will also be leading our regenerative aesthetics offering with Ameela polynucleotides and Ameela Exosomes - two of the most exciting developments in skin rejuvenation. She will also be offering Profhilo and Profhilo Structura!
We have a super exciting new addition to the clinic this week, with the launch of @sofwavemed.
Sofwave is an incredible skin tightening technology that has been around for five years now. I am never first to the queue with new devices because so many don’t deliver and disappear within a couple of years of launch. Sofwave however has continued to grow in popularity over the years and earlier this year I decided I had to find out what all the fuss was about.
I asked the reps to bring it round for us to play with and we treated a few of our patients to see what the results were like and, three months later not only was I signing the purchase order I was asking how quickly I could get one of the reps round to treat me 😊
Sofwave works using ultrasound waves to create a thermal injury to the deeper layers of the skin, initiating a healing response which over a period of several months results in a skin tightening effect.
I have trialled a number of ultrasound devices in the past and have never bought any of them because I was always disappointed in the results. There are a couple of things that I think makes Sofwave different.
First, it only goes to 1.5mm which means all of the energy is being delivered to the skin. Most other devices go down to 3 or 4mm, by which point you are past the skin and into the fat which can, if anything, have a worsening effect on volume loss. The second difference that I think is important is that it treats a bigger proportion of the surface area of the skin.
We have a new page on our website where you can read all about Sofwave and how it works, but for now, enjoy some of these before and afters that the manufacture supplied.
Let me know what you think!
Lower eyelid surgery is one of the more challenging operations in aesthetic practice. If we can avoid it, we normally try to help our patients chose non-surgical paths using laser or fillers.
However, there are some situations where it can’t be avoided, especially when there is excess fat under the eye causing puffiness. This is exactly what this patient had and so the very talented @bramhallplasticsurgery performed an upper and lower blepharoplasty for him. Whilst we often do the upper eyelids without doing the lower eyelids, usually when we do the lower eyelids we always need to do the uppers too.
This patient is now a couple of months out from surgery and loving his result. What do you think?
Laser season continues!
Thank you to this lovely patient who has kindly allowed us to share her results. She was particularly concerned about the fine lines and creases around her mouth, and underwent full-field laser resurfacing to target the deeper layers of the skin.
This is just two months after treatment and you can already see a significant improvement in the fine lines and overall skin texture. She’s still a little red and got some more healing to do, but she is already very happy with the improvement. This patient was a bit anxious about having the treatment done, so chose to have it under sedation which means she slept throughout and woke up when it was over!
What do you think?
It’s been six months since we launched the new toxin Relfydess in the clinic so, how is it going?
We’ve undertaken a survey of all of the patients we treated with the new toxin in the first month, who are now around six months since their first treatment, to find out more about what they thought of the results over the longer term - whether it kicked in faster, whether it looked better and whether they felt it lasted longer than the previous toxin.
Here are the results, and the feedback so far is really encouraging with the majority of patients reporting that it kicked in faster, looked better and lasted longer.
If you’d like to see more detail and analysis of these results, check out the link to the blog post in our profile.
Aesthetic interventions are never far from the headlines and this week the media have been focused on comments made by the make up artist Bobbi Brown about her view of cosmetic procedures. I was on BBC Radio Scotland today talking about the issue.
My own view is that we should all age in the way we feel comfortable with - if you are happy with grey hair and wrinkles, then I absolutely admire you just as much as I admire those who feel differently and want a little help to keep the signs of ageing at bay. There is no right and wrong and there is no room for moral superiority. Just you be you!
Have a listen to the debate and let me know what you think in the comments!
I’ve been back in the clinic for a week and we are right into laser season!
Thank you so much to this lovely patient who has allowed us to share her pictures with you. She was concerned about sun damage and deep lines and wrinkles on her face, especially on her forehead, on her cheeks and around her mouth. She opted for full laser resurfacing which is unrivalled for repairing this level of damage to the skin, but does come with slightly more downtime compared to other laser treatments.
These after pictures are six weeks after this patient’s initial treatment, and while she’s still a little pink (little enough that light make up will cover it!), you can see the she already has beautifully refreshed skin and her deep lines have been significantly reduced.
The true results for full laser resurfacing are usually seen after six months so we’ll share some pictures of this patient then so you can see the final result, but she’s absolutely delighted with the improvement so far!
What do you think?
We often talk about the deep plane facelift being the gold standard technique for facelift, and we’re proud to have the talented @bramhallplasticsurgery performing it in the clinic.
Here’s Russell explaining how the deep plane facelift offers longer lasting and more natural results than other techniques. By lifting and repositioning the deeper facial structures rather than just tightening the skin, this advanced approach creates a result that looks natural, moves naturally, and continues to age beautifully over time.
If you have any questions about the deep plane facelift just send us a message, or you can see more about the procedure at the link in our profile.
Our 5ml protocol is designed for patients looking for a general refresh - perfect at the earlier stages of the aging process or a gentle start for those further into the process.
This lovely patient came to us with concerns about her nose to mouth lines, some lost volume in her cheeks and her jowls. We used the 5ml protocol to give her an overall rejuvenation which gives her a really natural result that we can build on in the future.
You can a see video of this patient’s treatment at the link in our profile.
What do you think?
Join us on Instagram to keep up with the latest results and expert insights from the clinic team.
Our dedicated team of experts are on hand to help you as you navigate your journey with us.
When you first make contact with us you will be assigned your own personal Patient Relationship Manager. They’ll start by understanding your needs and liaising with our doctors to book you an appointment with the most suitable specialist. For any additional questions or needs, you can message or call them anytime and they’ll be delighted to assist you. Our entire team is dedicated to providing you with the best possible treatment and care tailored to your needs.
Sign up to our newsletter
Keep up to date with the latest news from McKeown Medical and get access to expert insights, our latest before and afters and exclusive offers.
