If you’ve ever searched the internet for more information about your varicose veins, you’ve probably come across one or two horror stories. Online, you’ll find tales of varicose veins bursting, recollections of a slight cut to a varicose vein causing untold bleeding, and more. 

Thankfully, most of these writings are tall tales. Varicose veins can present a danger to those who have them, but for the most part, there is very little risk that your varicose veins will spontaneously explode.

However, when we say “little” risk, we do not mean no risk at all. As the skin covering varicose veins is fragile and thinner than other skin, there is a slight chance that your varicose veins may, in fact, burst.

As practicing vein experts in the Milwaukee, Wisconsin area, we’ve fielded every question about varicose veins you could imagine. Today, we’re going to cover whether or not varicose veins can pop, what causes it, and how you can prevent it in the future.

Why Can Varicose Veins Burst?

Before we cover why varicose veins can burst, we have to briefly touch on what exactly varicose veins are.

Basically, poor blood flow and the weakening of valves within your veins can cause blood to pool within them. There are a few factors that cause this, ranging from age to gender and pregnancy — but the blood has pooled, it creates what we call a varicose vein, which will not go away on its own without treatment.

If you leave these varicose veins untreated, they can grow in size, weakening the skin that covers them. This thin skin becomes more prone to damage, meaning that a minor scratch or bump can cause the vein to “pop,” leading to considerable blood loss.

Is a Popped Varicose Vein Dangerous?

When your vein bursts, the amount of blood might surprise you. Even if you just grazed or bumped your varicose vein, the pooled blood can pour out of the vein followed by additional blood, making for a concerning mess.

This can be dangerous and, in some cases, fatal. If your varicose vein has burst, quickly apply pressure and elevate if able. This should cause the bloodflow to the area to slow, allowing you time to seek proper medical care. It is imperative that you seek care as soon as possible, however, as an unattended and damaged varicose vein may continue bleeding indefinitely.

How Can I Prevent My Varicose Veins from Bursting?

Our first piece of advice is simple caution. If you have varicose veins that protrude from the skin, be very aware of their presence on your body and areas in your day-to-day life that may put them at risk. For example, if you have a coffee table with hard edges in front of your couch, consider moving it or replacing it to ensure the varicose veins on your leg don’t come into accidental contact with it.

Additionally, there are some things you can do to slow the growth and spread of varicose veins. These include adding more exercise to your life, improving your diet, quitting negative health habits like smoking, and more. We’ve previously covered these themes in other areas of our blog, so feel free to browse for additional tips on how to prevent varicose veins!

But, as they say, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. The only real way to prevent this kind of damage to varicose veins is to solve the problem at its source: removing the varicose veins using vein treatment.

What Does Vein Treatment Look Like?

The varicose vein treatment of today is markedly different from that of years past. While previous varicose vein treatments were expensive, time-intensive affairs, varicose vein treatments can be done today in an afternoon. In fact, the majority of the patients at our Wisconsin practice are able to return to work on the same day!

If you are interested in varicose vein treatment, or just curious about how varicose vein treatment can change your life, reach out to us via our contact page. We’ll identify your specific needs and inform you of the best treatment for your case, working with you to establish the best care for you. Reach out today!