Common Causes Of Varicose Veins

Family History And Age

Family history and age are two risk factors individuals can't do much to mitigate. While it's not automatically guaranteed an individual will develop varicose veins if a family member has them, but their risk is significantly higher if this is the case. Similarly, an individual's risk of developing the condition becomes higher as they get older, because the natural process of aging leads to a wearing-down of the valves that regulate blood flow inside an individual's veins. After a long period, the wear causes the valves to stop functioning as well as they used to, and some might not function at all. Instead of pushing the blood in one direction through the circulatory system, the valves may allow blood to flow back into the veins instead of toward the heart. This blood collects in the body. Valve leakage can cause varicose veins to develop anywhere, but the legs are most common because of the natural settling of fluid.