Varicose veins in men: the myth of a 'women's disease'

2026-10-10

Varicose veins in men are common: this is not a 'women's disease'.
Risk factors include heredity, being tall, working on your feet or behind the wheel, heavy manual work and excess weight.
Men often notice the problem late: trousers hide the veins and symptoms are put down to tiredness.
Left untreated, varicose veins can lead to swelling, skin changes and leg ulcers.
Sudden swelling and pain in one leg or redness along a vein is a reason to call 103 straight away.

A father of the family has spent twenty years driving the Tashkent to Fergana route or standing behind a market stall. One day his wife notices twisted blue veins on his shin and urges him to see a doctor. The answer is a familiar one: 'That's something women get. My legs are just tired.'

Many families will recognise this scene. Varicose veins in men often go unnoticed precisely because they are thought of as a 'female' problem. Let's look at where this myth comes from, why men should pay closer attention to their veins and what to do if warning signs are already there.

Is it true that varicose veins are a women's disease?

No. Chronic venous disease is widespread in both men and women. Women do notice spider veins more often and complain more about heavy legs, because hormones and pregnancy affect their veins. Women also tend to look after their health more closely and see a doctor sooner.

But true varicose veins, the twisted ones that bulge above the skin, are very common in men too. The difference lies elsewhere: men often seek help later, when the disease has already progressed further.

The habit of putting up with things plays its part too. Many men see complaining about their legs as a sign of weakness and only go to a doctor when the pain starts getting in the way of work. Yet a phlebologist is a specialist like any dentist or GP, and an early visit saves both effort and time.

Why do men develop varicose veins?

The root of the problem is weakness in the vein walls and valves, which lets blood pool in the legs. In men, these factors most often make it worse:

Heredity. If your father or mother had varicose veins, your risk is higher; this is one of the main factors.
Height. The longer the legs, the taller the column of blood that has to be lifted back to the heart.
Jobs on your feet: security guards, cooks, shop assistants, barbers, surgeons and builders.
Long hours of driving. Taxi and lorry drivers sit for hours with their legs barely moving.
Heavy manual work and lifting large weights while holding your breath, which sharply raises the pressure in the veins.
Excess weight, especially a large belly, and an inactive lifestyle.
Age: over the years the vein walls lose their elasticity.

Varicose veins in men usually develop not because of one factor but a combination of them: for example, in a tall man with a family history who has worked as a driver for many years. The more of these overlap, the more attention you should pay to your legs, even if nothing bothers you yet.

Why do men notice varicose veins so late?

There are several very everyday reasons. Leg hair hides spider veins and early changes. Many men don't wear shorts even in summer, so their legs are rarely on show. And heaviness, swelling and cramps are routinely blamed on tiredness after work.

Pay attention to these signs:

heaviness, aching and tiredness in your legs by evening; read more in our article on heavy legs in the evening;
swelling around the ankles and deep marks from sock bands;
night cramps in the calves and itchy skin on the shins;
veins that bulge when you stand and flatten when you lie down;
darkening, hardening or flaking of the skin near the ankles.

Why are neglected varicose veins risky for men?

Varicose veins are not just a cosmetic flaw. The international CEAP classification describes the disease in stages from C0 to C6: from no visible signs through varicose veins (C2), swelling (C3) and skin changes (C4) to leg ulcers, healed (C5) or open (C6). Not everyone's disease progresses, but if it is ignored the risk of complications grows.

In addition, thrombophlebitis, an inflammation of a vein with a blood clot, can develop in enlarged veins, and the thin skin over a large varicose vein can sometimes be injured and bleed.

Varicose veins and varicocele: what's the difference?

Sometimes, when people talk about varicose veins in men, they mean a varicocele. This is an enlargement of the veins in the spermatic cord inside the scrotum, usually on the left. It is not directly linked to the leg veins, behaves differently and can affect men's health.

A varicocele is looked after by a urologist or andrologist. If you notice heaviness, discomfort or a 'bag of worms' feeling in the scrotum, see one of these specialists. Everything else in this article concerns the leg veins, which are a phlebologist's area.

What should a man do if he notices enlarged veins?

Book an appointment with a phlebologist. They will examine your legs and refer you for a duplex ultrasound scan, a painless test that shows how the valves are working.
Move every day. Walking, swimming and cycling train the calf muscle pump well. Our article on exercise with varicose veins explains which kinds of activity usually suit.
Keep going to the gym, but breathe out on the effort, don't hold your breath and discuss very heavy lifting with your doctor.
Take breaks if you work sitting or standing. You will find a simple routine in our article on leg exercises at your desk.
Watch your weight: even a modest loss reduces the load on your veins.
Only wear compression stockings after consulting a doctor: a specialist chooses the compression class, and compression is not suitable for some arterial diseases. Men's styles look much like ordinary knee-high socks.

And don't try to 'treat' your veins with rubbing, warming or tips from the internet: this only delays seeing a doctor, and heat can do harm if a vein is inflamed.

If treatment is needed, doctors today most often offer minimally invasive methods carried out through a small puncture, without a long hospital stay. A phlebologist decides which one suits you based on the ultrasound results. You can read more about the condition itself on our page about varicose veins.

The key points

Varicose veins in men are neither rare nor anything to be embarrassed about. The strong legs that keep you going for years behind the wheel, at the workbench or behind the counter need care too. A short visit to a phlebologist and a few simple habits will help keep them healthy for a long time: for work, for football with friends and for mountain walks with your children.

Sources: 1. De Maeseneer MG, Kakkos SK, Aherne T, et al. ESVS 2022 Clinical Practice Guidelines on the Management of Chronic Venous Disease of the Lower Limbs. Eur J Vasc Endovasc Surg. 2022;63(2):184–267. 2. Lurie F, Passman M, Meisner M, et al. The 2020 update of the CEAP classification system and reporting standards. J Vasc Surg Venous Lymphat Disord. 2020;8(3):342–352. 3. National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE). Varicose veins: diagnosis and management. Clinical guideline CG168, 2013.

Do men get varicose veins?

Yes, and often. Chronic venous disease occurs in both sexes; men simply tend to see a doctor later.

Why are varicose veins in men often advanced by the time they see a doctor?

Leg hair and trousers hide early changes, and heaviness and swelling are put down to tiredness. So men often come to a phlebologist when the veins are already quite enlarged or the skin has changed.

Can I go to the gym if I have varicose veins?

Moderate exercise is usually beneficial. It is important not to hold your breath when lifting and to discuss very heavy weights with your doctor.

Is a varicocele a kind of varicose vein?

It is an enlargement of the veins in the spermatic cord, not the leg veins. It is treated by a urologist or andrologist, while varicose veins of the legs are a phlebologist's field.