Varicose veins form when the walls of your veins weaken and one‑way valves fail, allowing blood to pool and the vein to bulge. Risk factors include aging, pregnancy, hormonal changes, obesity, prolonged standing or sitting, genetics and smoking.

For most people, varicose veins don’t disappear without treatment. Pregnancy‑related veins often improve after childbirth, but in general the veins persist; lifestyle changes can ease discomfort, and minimally invasive procedures may be needed to remove them.

Conservative measures such as wearing compression stockings, exercising regularly, elevating your legs, losing excess weight and avoiding long periods of standing or sitting can reduce symptoms. If these don’t help, office‑based procedures like sclerotherapy, laser ablation or radiofrequency ablation offer effective alternatives.

Modern varicose vein procedures are minimally invasive. Treatments such as sclerotherapy or endovenous ablation are performed under local anesthesia in a clinic setting, and most patients walk out the same day with little to no downtim. Mild bruising or soreness may occur, but serious complications are rare.

While you can’t always prevent new varicose veins, staying active, maintaining a healthy weight, elevating your legs, wearing properly fitted clothing and compression stockings, taking breaks from prolonged sitting or standing, and avoiding tobacco use can reduce your risk. Following these habits after treatment also helps prevent recurrence