Varicose veins are swollen, twisted veins that can be seen just under the surface of the skin, most commonly in the legs and feet. Although the medical condition is often dismissed as nothing more than a cosmetic concern, if left untreated it can cause moderate pain, lower one's quality of life and lead to more serious health complications like deep vein thrombosis or blood clots. More than 15 million people in Turkey are estimated to have varicose veins.

So, what causes varicose veins to form, and how can we avoid the condition? Dr. Faruk Cingöz from the Department of Cardiovascular Surgery at Memorial Kayseri Hospital shared his tips to help prevent varicose veins and explained who is most at risk.

According to Cingöz, there are five main factors leading to varicose veins: