Varicose veins left me in constant agony and killed my self-confidence. I finally found a life-changing, pain-free procedure that zapped them for good

Like millions of others suffering with varicose veins, Philippa Bradley simply resigned herself to the misery of the condition.

The mother of three from Vale of Clwyd in North Wales hated the sight of the bulging, twisted blood vessels all over her legs. The aching heaviness, the way her legs tingled and throbbed in the heat – these were things to be endured, just like the embarrassment and self-consciousness which meant she never wore skirts or shorts.

Even when the problem spread – causing constant, intense discomfort in her pelvis – doctors weren’t interested in treating her.

Philippa, 60, said: ‘Some people think varicose veins aren’t a real problem. But they can have a huge impact. I felt utterly defeated. I was referred to a consultant, but was made to feel it was just a cosmetic problem and I should stop being so vain.’

Sadly, experts have told The Mail on Sunday that Philippa’s experience is all too common, and even though one in five adults suffer from visible varicose veins, they aren’t taken seriously enough.

Unhelpfully, much received wisdom about the condition – for example, that standing up for too long causes them, or that women are more prone to them than men – is simply wrong. And far from being just cosmetic, experts warn varicose veins can be dangerous, causing bleeding and blood clots, plus other serious conditions such as leg ulcers.

Consultant surgeon Professor Mark Whiteley has pioneered minimally invasive modern treatments. He said: ‘Because few patients die directly of varicose veins in the short term, many people – even in the medical profession – do not consider them serious.

‘But varicose veins are a progressive problem, and many patients who don’t get proper treatment will deteriorate and have to endure significantly reduced quality of life.’

For Philippa, 40 years of torment finally ended when she signed up for cutting-edge private treatment – including a procedure called Endovenous Laser Ablation, which uses a laser to remove the faulty veins.

Although it cost her thousands, it proved life-changing. The intense pain that had plagued her for decades disappeared, along with the unsightly veins – giving her the confidence once again to bare her legs and wear a swimsuit on holiday. ‘I’d given up hope,’ said Philippa, ‘but the treatment has been amazing.’

Varicose veins stem from a fault in the circulatory system which, in the average adult, involves an astonishing 60,000 miles of blood vessels. The heart pumps blood at high pressure through the arteries to transport oxygen around the body, before the veins carry deoxygenated blood back to the heart at far lower pressure.

To counter the effects of gravity – which would otherwise make blood simply fall to a person’s feet whenever they stood up – the veins are lined with one-way valves. When these are missing or faulty, blood doesn’t flow efficiently back to the heart and instead starts to pool.

In blood vessels near the surface of the skin, the result is swollen, lumpy and twisted veins.

Symptoms include a deep, throbbing ache, feelings of heaviness, itchiness or a burning sensation – especially after prolonged standing or sitting, or in warm weather. Although common on the legs, varicose veins can also appear in the bottom, causing haemorrhoids, and, for men, in the testicles.

According to Prof Whiteley, there are many popular misconceptions. He said: ‘It’s a myth that varicose veins are caused by standing up for long periods.

‘If that was true, everyone spending a lot of time on their feet – hairdressers, nurses, teachers, surgeons – would develop them. Standing can, though, exacerbate the underlying condition. People who already have failing valves will deteriorate more quickly if they are employed in those sorts of occupations.’

Another myth is that pregnancy is responsible.

But, again, it simply exacerbates an existing condition.

Prof Whiteley added: ‘In pregnancy, the volume of blood increases, so varicose veins that were too small to be noticeable become more prominent.’

Other things which are incorrectly blamed include crossing your legs, obesity, constipation and straining while on the toilet.

Likewise, women are not more prone to varicose veins – they’re just more likely to report the problem than men. Prof Whiteley said: ‘The prevalence is actually more like 50:50.’

Because the condition is genetic, nothing can be done to prevent it. But it is possible to slow the progression and alleviate the symptoms.

Exercise improves blood flow, with the contraction of the muscles – especially the calves and thighs – helping pump the blood back towards the heart.

Prof Whiteley said: ‘It can be as simple as walking up the stairs rather than taking the lift, or walking around every half an hour if you’re spending long periods sitting down.’

Compression stockings – properly fitted – can reduce pain and swelling by squeezing the lower legs to prevent blood pooling. Lying down with legs raised can also bring relief, by letting gravity drain blood back to the heart.

Untreated, varicose veins can lead to dangerous complications such as rupture, where swollen veins burst open if knocked, if they have thinned with age or even from the heat of a bath.

Prof Whiteley said: ‘Patients can bleed substantially from a burst varicose vein. Although this is controlled in an emergency by direct pressure and elevating the leg, in rare cases patients have died from such bleeding.’

Another risk is that pooled blood forms a clot, which may appear as a hot, red, tender lump, and is often mistaken for an infection. They can travel around the body and end up blocking blood vessels in the lungs – a potentially fatal condition known as pulmonary embolism.

As well as the visible swollen lumps on their legs, Prof Whiteley explained that patients can develop varicose veins that are hidden within the body.

He said: ‘Around one in five adults have visible varicose veins – but a further one in five have hidden varicose veins, which cannot be seen on the surface.’

These, he explained, can cause otherwise unexplained symptoms such as aching legs, swelling and bruising. In women they can also cause pelvic congestion syndrome (PCS) – where faulty ovarian or pelvic veins swell up and put pressure on the bladder, bowel, vagina or pelvic floor.

For Philippa, it was the pain of pelvic congestion syndrome (PCS) that made her realise she needed to take action

Philippa Bradley’s legs before the treatment and, right, afterwards

For Philippa, it was the pain of PCS that made her realise she needed to take action.

She was 16 when her first varicose vein appeared – on her left thigh. She said: ‘I was always active – playing netball and swimming. But I was so embarrassed to show my legs that I stopped.’

In her 20s, while working in marketing in London, the problem grew worse.

She said: ‘The initial vein became more exaggerated, while others appeared at the back of my knee, my calf and towards my foot. They were uncomfortable, but I just got on with life.’

Philippa later married Rupert, who runs a flooring business, and they started a family. By 2002, after giving birth to their three children, the problem intensified.

She said: ‘It spread up my upper thigh and into my groin. It was always painful and throbbing, and was even worse after standing for any time.

‘Constant discomfort is mentally draining. I saw my GP and was referred to a consultant, who told me there are treatments but not on the NHS, as my case isn’t serious enough.

‘She pretty much told me: you’ll just have to live with it.’

The NHS only treats varicose veins that cause severe pain or complications, with different trusts around the UK having different criteria. Although millions of people are affected, only around 20,000 operations are carried out for varicose veins on the NHS every year.

After years of battling through the discomfort, in 2022, Philippa – who had halted her career to care full-time for her son Luca, who has a learning disability – had a revelation. ‘I suddenly realised, I don’t want to live like this,’ she said.

She contacted The Whiteley Clinic, set up by Prof Whiteley in 1999. To identify exactly which veins were faulty, she had a duplex ultrasound, which generates a picture of the veins and shows the speed and direction of blood flow.

Over 18 months, Philippa had three procedures. The first was pelvic vein embolisation (PVE), where a tiny metal coil is guided through a catheter to the faulty vein in the pelvis to block it, eventually causing it to shrink away.

Next came Endovenous Laser Ablation (EVLA), where a laser heats the wall of the vein, causing it to collapse and seal shut.

A third treatment, called ultrasound-guided foam sclerotherapy, injected a chemical foam into the vein to make it collapse and close.

Because every patient requires different levels of treatment, The Whiteley Clinic doesn’t publish a set price list, but treatments start at £995, with EVLA in a single vein costing £2,975 and a package involving EVLA for a single vein in both legs costing £4,450.

Philippa said: ‘It’s been life changing. Aesthetically, I can hardly believe they’re the same legs. Having lived with varicose veins from a young age, it’s lovely being able to wear a dress or shorts on holiday.’

More importantly, her pain is gone. She said: ‘Living with constant discomfort for so many years was like dragging a ball and chain around. Now it’s been completely eradicated. It’s amazing.’

Danger of deadly blood clots – but losing weight could help

The NHS does not usually consider varicose veins to be a serious problem – but it is linked to a life-threatening blood clot.

Studies show varicose vein sufferers are 20 per cent more likely to develop deep vein thrombosis, where a blood clot forms in a vein, usually in the leg. This can travel to the lungs, causing a life-threatening blockage called a pulmonary embolism.

Varicose veins raise the risk of deep vein thrombosis because the condition causes blood to pool in the legs, rather than returning to the heart. Over time, research shows, this pooled blood can thicken and cause a clot.

However, experts say that having varicose veins does not mean that patients will develop deep vein thrombosis. Instead, the complication is typically triggered by a number of factors, including age (patients over 60 are more at risk), obesity, a history of smoking, cancer and taking the contraceptive pill or hormone replacement therapy (HRT).

The NHS says symptoms of deep vein thrombosis include a throbbing pain in one leg – usually in the calf or thigh – when walking or standing up. Patients may also experience swelling in the leg and red or darkened skin around the painful area.

Long journeys raise the risk of deep vein thrombosis as clots are more likely to form if you’re not moving. Those travelling for three hours or more by plane, train or car are urged to wear loose clothing, drink a lot of water, avoid alcohol and walk around when possible.

Have you been able to banish varicose veins? Write to us at health@mailonsunday.co.uk