This page explains when visible blue or purple veins on your legs are normal and when they might be a sign of venous insufficiency — especially relevant for patients in Dubai.
Whilst it is relatively common to see blue or purple veins in the legs, especially in adults with fair skin and low body fat. They can also be a sign of venous insufficiency, a condition in which the valves in the leg veins do not function efficiently. This leads to blood pooling in the legs instead of efficient return to the heart. Increased pressure in the leg veins due to prolonged standing, sitting, pregnancy or obesity, or having a family history of vein problems can lead to appearance of these veins.
While in some people, visible veins in the legs are normal, in many cases these blue and purple veins, especially if they are clustered around the ankles or accompanied by other symptoms such as leg heaviness, swelling, itching and skin discolouration, could suggest varicose vein disease or chronic venous insufficiency.
A specific pattern of these blue and purple veins around the ankle, known as Corona Phlebectatica, is often a sign of advanced venous disease in the legs. Some may progress into skin complications such as eczema, lipodermatosclerosis and venous ulcers.
For people who are concerned about the appearance or symptoms of these visible veins, a vascular assessment is often recommended, a Doppler ultrasound can assess the vein function and help to establish whether venous insufficiency is the cause of these visible veins.
Management includes conservative measures such as compression socks and lifestyle adjustments or minimally invasive procedures for varicose veins such as endovenous laser ablation or radiofrequency ablation or Venseal.
Walk-in, walk-out treatments such as sclerotherapy in Dubai are widely available and can be tailored towards individual needs. Early diagnosis and appropriate management can improve both appearance and long term leg health.
More in depth review of sclerotherapy in Dubai.