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"   Question I&amp;#039;m beginning to notice blue veins appearing on my legs.  At first I thought they could be varicose veins, but then I found out they couldn&amp;#039;t be because they&amp;#039;re under my skin rather than bumps on my skin.  They are starting to cover my legs and become more obvious.  I wanted to know what could be causing them?  Could it be lack of vitamins?  Could it be because my job requires me to be on my feet a lot?  Could it be something in my genes?  Also, the blue veins on the side of my thighs do sometimes hurt when I press them.  I&amp;#039;m worried \u2013 can I do anything to prevent them becoming worse, or get rid of them entirely?  Can you help?    Answer Not all visible veins are going to end up as varicose veins.  Leg veins under the skin are those most commonly associated with varicose veins, but many visible veins never get any worse.  We don&amp;#039;t tend to describe them as varicose veins until they have visibly widened and lumpy when you&amp;#039;re standing. They can be a nuisance, but they&amp;#039;re not dangerous.  You&amp;#039;re right in thinking that some people seem to be predisposed to developing them, but it has more to do with their inheritance than their lifestyle.  I don&amp;#039;t think there&amp;#039;s any evidence that vitamins will help prevent them.  Varicose veins can be made worse by prolonged standing, so you&amp;#039;re correct in keeping active.  Try to stay slim and strengthen your leg muscles because they&amp;#039;ll help to support your veins.  Elastic support stockings are helpful if varicose veins do become a problem, but they need to be a good fit so they&amp;#039;re not uncomfortable.  Stockings keep the veins as empty as possible and prevent them getting even more stretched.  They&amp;#039;re particularly useful if you&amp;#039;re pregnant because this is a time when veins do get worse.  Established varicose veins can be treated with injections under the skin or by surgery, so if you remain concerned it&amp;#039;s worth discussing them with your doctor.  It&amp;#039;s always a good idea to have them checked by a doctor if your leg is tender or swollen.  But rarely do varicose veins become acutely inflammed with clotted blood.  Yours sincerely  The NetDoctor Medical Team   Other Qs &amp;amp;amp; As Can sclerotherapy clear up varicose veins? How soon can you fly after varicose veins surgery? Worried about an operation to remove varicose veins  Last updated 29.01.2012 "^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
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