WASHINGTON, DC - JANUARY 20: U.S. President Donald Trump delivers his inaugural address on the West Front of the U.S. Capitol on January 20, 2017 in Washington, DC. In today's inauguration ceremony Donald J. Trump becomes the 45th president of the United States.
One-Way Valves in the Veins. One-way valves consist of two flaps (cusps or leaflets) with edges that meet. These valves help veins return blood to the heart. As blood moves toward the heart, it pushes the cusps open like a pair of one-way swinging doors (shown on the left).
The valves aren't able to ensure the blood passes up the leg and it pools in the dilating veins. This causes pressure in the smaller vessels, and eventually red blood cells leak into the surrounding tissues. This turns the area red/brown and the skin becomes scaly, weeping and crusty.