Expert Blog Series: Who’s at Risk with Dr. Nisha Bunke

For this week’s installation of our Expert Blog Series with Dr. Nisha Bunke, we will be talking about who is at risk for developing varicose veins. It was surprising to find out that many times these conditions can develop for a variety of reasons including heredity and age. Below you will find what the causes of varicose veins are and what you can do to prevent them!

Common Causes of Varicose Veins

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  Heredity: If varicose veins run in your family, you have a higher risk to develop them.
• Gender: Women are more likely to develop vein disorders than men. However, men can still develop varicose veins. In fact, vein disorders affect one in five men.
• Age: Varicose veins can occur at any stage in life, but they are increasing prevalent with advancing age.
• Pregnancy: Pregnancy can increase the risk of varicose veins, but the good news is that they tend to improve after birth.
• Jobs and Activities: People who spend a great deal of time on their feet or have jobs that require them to sit all day are much more likely to develop varicose veins than those who are active.
• Obesity: People with an elevated body-mass index (BMI) of 30 or greater are more prone to varicose veins.
• Hormones: Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT), fertility treatments, and oral contraceptive medicines tend to trigger the development of varicose veins.

There are many different factors that can cause for the development of varicose veins, but there are also many things you can do to prevent them as well! For starters, maintaining a healthy weight and regular exercise routine helps significantly. If you find yourself sitting or standing for long periods of time, take frequent breaks to stretch. Stagnant blood flow is the main cause for vein conditions, which is why Dr. Bunke also highly recommends wearing VIM & VIGR compression socks for those who are at risk. Compression socks help circulate blood flow but also combat varicose veins in doing so.