There is a misunderstanding about who gets varicose veins between men and women. When most people think of these blue, bulgy veins on legs, they tend to think of middle age or elderly females. It has been proven that women, on average, are more prone to varicose veins due to hormonal changes, pregnancy, wearing high heels, and crossing legs. But, venous disease is not exclusive to women. Just as many men are affected by venous insufficiency. Here are some facts for your review:
Men tend to avoid going to the doctor more than women do on the average. Either from the mindset of not wanting to find out there is a problem or just ignoring the problem and hoping it will go away. But, varicose veins are painful and not cosmetically pleasing, so eventually, men will go to the doctor to be evaluated.
Men’s legs have more hair and tend to wear long pants more than women. Both of these can prevent the man from noticing any changes in the skin and/or veins.
Heredity can play a large role in who gets varicose veins. Close to half of all patients who have varicose veins has a family history of them. Men are not excluded from this category.
Just like women, aging is a cause. With age, the valves within the veins can malfunction. Blood pools in the affected veins, creating the bulging ropey “snakes” running up the legs.
If a man is overweight, this places additional stress on the veins to pump blood back up to the heart.
As you can see, men can easily be affected by venous insufficiency and need to take the proper precautions to avoid this condition. If you feel that you might have varicose veins, whether a man or a woman, reach out to a vein doctor for help. You don’t need to suffer!