Dear DOLLY, I'm only 17 but I've already started to get big veins on my legs. They're not quite like the varicose ones my mum has but they're reddish-purple and really ugly. They're everywhere and I hate them! Is there anything I can do to get rid of them? Abigail
There are several reasons veins become visible. First, as you have grown over the past few years, it's possible that your veins are more visible because they too have grown, and if you have fair skin then veins are easier to see.
Stretchmarks are also very common during puberty, especially on the upper legs, and they can be red or purple and look almost like veins (but aren't). Varicose veins are veins that dilate or "puff out" and can be seen just under the surface of the skin. These happen in legs when the valves in the deep veins of the legs (buried within the leg muscles) stop working properly. Valves in veins help keep the blood flowing in the right direction (up towards the heart).
If the valves become defective, blood still flows towards the heart but not as efficiently, and blood on its way up to the heart runs out from the deep veins into the superficial veins under the skin making them swollen, or "varicose".
Varicose veins tend to occur as you get older, although they can occur in young people too. There is a hereditary aspect to varicose veins and they do run in families. Injections and even surgery can be done to treat varicose veins but obviously you would need to get your veins properly assessed and know exactly what’s involved before doing anything invasive and potentially risky. Your GP is therefore a good place to start for advice.
