MY mum hasn't worn a skirt or pair of trousers above her ankles for as long as I've been alive.
This is because, following her second pregnancy (that would be me then), she began to notice a number of prominent veins increasingly appearing on her legs, to a point where she deemed them too unsightly to be displayed in public.
Mum duly hung up her shorts soon after, and learned to limit herself to floor length fashions, because the painful stripping' procedures available at the time were too intimidating to be an option.
But the medical world has come on in leaps and bounds since then, and modern vein treatments are simple and specialised.
There are actually a few varieties of varicose vein, so it makes sense that there are treatments to target each type. This list is reassuringly increasing, with laser and even radio wave technology being introduced most recently, and we are likely to see even more developments in the future.
The latest thing will not necessarily be the most suitable for you, however, as my mum found out when she paid a visit to Dr Sophie Renton at The Clementine Churchill Hospital in Harrow. Contrary to her own perception, Sophie confirmed the veins on her legs fell in the mildest category - they were telangiectasia, thread' or spider' veins.The other two types are thick and knobbly trunk, and red, grouped reticular varicose veins.
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Harmless and very common, thread veins sit on the surface of the skin, do not bulge, and do not cause discomfort. But a high concentration of them was enough to knock my mum's confidence, so anything that might clear them up was worth a shot.
Her shot came in the form of foam. Sophie suggested a course of sclerotherapy for my mum - a series of injections of a frothy detergent directly into each offending vein, in four to six half-hour sessions over a few months. It may not sound quite as fancy as being zapped with lasers or radio waves, but Sophie has faith in sclerotherapy.
"It always works to a degree," she tells me.
"It is just how well it works that will vary from person to person."
Five treatments in, and my mum's legs are noticeably clearer. The neon blue-ness of the veins has been dulled to a faint purpley-brown, and they are showing good signs of disappearing even further, with the help of time and perhaps a top-up treatment or two later in the year.
A layer of fake tan will certainly give mother legs fit for parading this summer, and, judging by the smile on her face, she may even skip down that beach.
For more information about BMI's treatments for varicose veins, and a full list of hospitals offering them, log on to www.bmivaricoseveins.co.uk.
To contact Sophie Renton directly, call 020 8427 3771.
Facts and myths about varicose veins
- A third of women, and about 18 per cent of men will get varicose veins
- There is no scientific evidence that crossing your legs or standing for long periods of time can cause varicose veins, the biggest cause is genetic
- Varicose veins are most commonly found in the legs, but can appear in other places, such as the pelvic area
- Reoccurrence of varicose veins after treatment happens for 1 in 7 people, but it is possible to treat the same area again
Common treatments for varicose veins
Surgical stripping: Veins are stripped from above the knee under
general or local anaesthetic, and an overnight stay may be required. Patients should not drive home, will wear a compression bandage for ten days, and return to normal activity after two to three weeks
Laser treatment: Veins are heated by laser from within to seal them, under local anaesthetic or mild sedation. Less bruising and faster recovery experienced by laser patients than by those who have had surgical stripping
Radio frequency ablation: A new treatment that closes larger veins using heat. A thin instrument is inserted into the vein and heated up when in place, sealing the vein as it is extracted. There is evidence to suggest patients experience less pain with this treatment than with surgical stripping
Foam sclerotherapy: Injections into veins of a standard sclerosant detergent, mixed with air to create a foam. Support stockings should be worn for one week following a treatment
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