Varicose veins: pictures, stages and classification

23 July 2025

According to statistics, about 83% of the population face a disease such as varicose veins of the lower extremities.Therefore, it is important to know how the appearance of varicose veins in the initial stage.This will timely identify the disease and prevent the development of possible complications.

Varicose veins types

The vein disease, which is associated with their expansion, begs and destroying the valve apparatus, can affect different organs of the body.Therefore, the classification of this pathology is based on the site of its localization.

According to the international classification of 10th review diseases, such types of disease are distinguished:

Varicose veins of the circulatory system.
Expansion of digestive tract veins.
The accumulation of multiple pathological clots in one place.
Varicosis of lymph nodes and vessels that are not systematized in other sections.
Varicose expansion of the lower extremities.

Using ICD 10 in medical practice allows a phlef to make the proper diagnosis and differentiation of varicose veins.

On the other hand, varicose veins in the lower extremities, depending on the course phase, are classified into diseases with:

Ulcerative lesions.
Progressive inflammatory processes.
Ulcer and inflammation.
Flebactia of the feet, uncertain etiology or unspecified localization.
Varicose veins of the legs or rest with skin damage.
Lack of deformation of veins with ulcers, suppression or inflammatory processes.

Considering the main sites of localization of pathological changes, varicose veins are distinguished:

Surface veins.
Deep veins.
Reticular.

The wide classification of varicose veins is determined by polyetological and a variety of options for the course of the disease.In differentiation of pathology, modern phbologists use not only ICD-10, but also the classification of the disease by form.

In medical practice, such forms of varicose veins are distinguished:

Partial damage to the blood vessels of the subcutaneous and intradermal type without reverse exit.
Segmental loss with an adverse blood flow to all veins.
A wide loss with the discharge of pathological etiology in subcutaneous veins and perforators.
A common vein lesion with an abnormal discharge through deep veins.

The deformation and dysfunction of the veins in them of the blood flow can be of several types.Only a phlebologist is able to diagnose and create a variety of varicose expansion based on the results of a complex examination.

Varicose vein rate

Depending on the process of progression of the disease, varicose veins have 4 stages of development.Each of them is characterized by a certain symptom.

In the first stage, the severity in the legs and the pain of a painful nature feel.Vascular stars, knit veins and swelling are visualized.Perhaps the involuntary spasm of the beef muscles and the appearance of burning in the area of the foot.It is characterized by a lack of stagnation in the bloodstream.
The second rate of varicose veins is associated with oxygen hunger of the venous system.It is characterized by a rapid increase in the size and number of vascular joints and stars.Such damage has clearly expressed the boundaries, which contribute to their brightest manifestation.Perhaps their grouping into the same loss area are small behind the area.In this case, pain and swelling of soft tissue have improved.
With the third degree of varicose veins, trophic lesions of the medial surface of the lower leg are formed.It is characterized by the appearance of brown areas on the skin, which, with the progression of the disease, are covered with dry crust and cracks.Despite their ancestry, dermatitis is possible.The presence of large edema becomes dangerous.There is a lot of fatigue and pain.
The fourth degree is the complications of the disease.They can occur in the form of the development of inflammatory processes, trophic ulcers on the vein walls.Bleeding is possible with mechanical damage to the seals.This scale is dangerous with the possibility of developing venous insufficiency, which can then take a chronic form.

In the third and fourth phases, the patient begins to experience severe pain of a different nature, both in muscles and during venous drawers.Extremely is extremely rare, there may be a rupture of the joints, accompanied by an insignificant blood loss.Most often, such a sign manifests at night.If, with varicose veins, hyperthermia and increased weakness emerged, then this directly indicates the appearance of complications of the disease.

Varicosis itself is not a dangerous disease that is not suitable for therapy.But it is worth noting that this pathology does not go on its own, and is progressing quickly.Identification of first -degree varicose veins significantly increases the terms of rapid and successful recovery.The fourth -degree varicose veins are dangerous to human body and life.

Varicose vein stages of lower extremities

Varicose veins are characterized by several stages of pathology.Each of which determines the spread of the disease and has certain features.There are many classifications of varicose vein phases, each of which has its own symptoms and therapy.

Above all in professional practice, modern phbologists use the classification of varicose veins according to the degree of blood flow changes to the body vessels.The founder of such a division of varicose veins in stages is wild.

According to its conclusions, the following stages of the disease are distinguished:

Compensation.It is characterized by the presence of problems of cosmetic manifestation.There are no symptoms of thrombosis, but when examining the patient, signs of the initial phase of varicose veins in the leg are found.Depending on the etiology of the pathology, the phase of varicose veins compensation without proper treatment throughout the year can develop in the second -degree varicose veins.
Subcompensation.Blood vessels undergo deformation and manifest clearly on the surface of the feet.The undercoming phase varicose is associated with pain and swelling of the lower extremities.There is a feeling of severity, the feeling of explosion and significantly increases the sensitivity of the skin.Ellinge on the foot intensifies in the evening, and the next morning disappears.
Decompensation.Visual signs of pathologists grow significantly.Nets and venous joints are no longer only in the area but also in volumes.An intense itching sensation appears.The surface of the skin acquires a darker shade, becomes dry and shiny.At this stage, a small hemorrhage occurs, which provokes the deposition of hemosiderin, leading to hyperpigmentation of the skin in the affected areas.

The initial phase of varicose veins for each organism continues differently.The intensity of its symptoms and the duration of this period is individual and depends on many factors.Therefore, with the manifestation of the smallest signs of pathology, you should immediately seek qualified medical care.Timely treatment will prevent the development of more serious phases of varicose veins.

Initial phase of varicose veins in the foot: treatment of pathology

With varicose veins, the effectiveness of the therapeutic course depends directly on the timely manifestation of pathology.Qualified medical care in the initial stage of development of the disease allows you to fully restore the integrity of the vascular wall and the functionality of the damaged veins.

The varicose vein treatment of the initial phase is comprehensively performed and consists of:

Complex use of venotonics.For complex effects on the veins, oral table preparations are taken.Among them, Detralex and Vasott are popular.The use of local medicines in the form of ointments and gels also has a high therapeutic effect.In the initial stage of the disease, heparin oil quickly and effectively stops symptoms.
Sclerotherapy.Flebology, taking into account the clinical appearance of the disease, is performed by: microsclerotherapy, ecosclerotherapy or sclerotherapy of foam.The minimum technique consists of introducing special medicines, sclerosantians in Vienna with thin needles.After the procedure, the mandatory coating of a special stitch of compression.The effectiveness of sclerotherapy explains its use in the phase of compensation for varicose veins of the lower extremities.
Ozonotherapy.Refers to physiotherapeutic treatment, which acts as one of the components of complex varicose vein therapy at the initial stage.Such procedures increase oxygen cell nutrition and stimulate blood circulation through the veins.As a result, the adhesion of the affected walls of the blood vessels.

Each of the methods of varicose veins therapy requires mandatory medical prescription and control.Self -savvy of varicose veins is strictly forbidden.

Varicose veins in the lower extremities of the initial scale are difficult to diagnose independently.Visual internet information contributes to visual recognition with the characteristic signs of pathology.

Typically, varicose veins look like an enlargement of the veins, which causes cosmetic disturbances, causes leg pain, cramps at night, trophic changes in the area of the legs.The expansion of the veins is small vascular stars and joints in large stem drawers, extended plexuses, which are clearly visible in a straight position.

In 75 - 80 % of cases, barrels or branches of a large subcutaneous vein suffer.The smallest Vienna is easier - its lesions are only observed in 5 - 10 % of cases.When the feeling that the vein seems to be resilient, it can be easily compressed, and the temperature above the affected ship is slightly higher than in all other parts of the epidermis.This is due to the release of arterial blood and blood from deep veins through communication vessels to varicose joints located on the surface.In a horizontal position, the voltage with the veins is deducted, and the dimensions of the affected joints decrease.In some cases, it is possible to investigate minor defects at places of perforative and superficial vein compounds.The longer the disease develops, the more unpleasant symptoms feel.Rapid fatigue, a severe feeling in lower extremities, paresthesia, swelling and heels.The latter usually arises closer in the evening, and in the morning after rest they disappear.

How the varicose veins look like - pictures and signs

When a woman begins to notice even irrelevant vascular nets on the surface of the skin of the lower extremities, she has the question of what the varicose veins look at her feet.The disease belongs to insidious, as they are able not to appear for a large amount of time.

DESCRIPTION OF DISEASE

Varicosis of the lower extremities is the stagnation in the blood system that causes veins enlargement.In 80% of cases, the disease occurs exactly on the foot, as they constitute the largest load due to walking, constant physical activity.

Eachdo vein has a specific valve responsible for the correct blood flow.This helps to avoid stagnation of blood and a dysfunction of the circulatory system.The disease occurs when the blood flow is disturbed, the blood begins to flow not only up but also down.This is due to the improper functioning of the venous valves.The ships lose their former elasticity, deformation.This is the initial phase of varicose veins.

Varicose veins can appear on any legs: on the hips, below the knee, on the lower leg, on the foot.Varicosis in the foot manifests itself in the form of blue stars, small red or blue patterns.

Vascular surgeons warn that the risk areas of varicose lesions are hips and lower legs.A woman should be careful about the condition of the legs and notice the changes that arise in time.

In the hips, the disease manifests itself in the form of large lines that resemble rivers.In the photo of the varicose veins in the foot, the vascular nets are marked, the stars are marked.On the lower leg, the structure of the pathology is similar to the location in the hips, but only in the initial phase.With the neglect of the disease, large bruises appear on the lower leg, a rash resembling blue and red bags.

Observing the disease is more difficult under the knee.There are small veins discharges of a blue shade, red nets can appear.Walking varicose is most dangerous of all countries, the site is more sensitive to the negative impacts of external factors, physical activity.

At the first signs shown in the photo of the varicose veins in the legs (small red nets, kavilles, blue spots), it is necessary to buy elastic socks, consult a vascular surgeon.

Rate

The disease is classified according to the degree of vascular damage and the veins in the foot.Modern doctors use international classification to make a diagnosis.Distinguishes 7 main degrees of varicose veins in the foot:

The degree of damage to the varicose veins

Zero, difficult to diagnose.It is impossible to identify, it is impossible to notice the signs of the disease.Many women write them in ordinary leg fatigue.There is a severity in the foot, "buzzing", swelling, rare convulsions (especially at night).If you perform an examination, it can give a false negative result;
1 degree looks in the picture, like small nets and stars standing.The patient also feels all the accompanying signs of zero scale.They appear closer to the evening or a little during the day;
2 degrees - more pronounced by symptoms, a person can recognize the disease independently.Blue and red lines occur on the surface of the feet, stars and mesh gain a swollen appearance.The patient begins to notice that the veins have become much larger.Signs of pathology become more pronounced after active load on the limbs;The higher the degree of foot damage, the more likely you get complications in the cardiovascular system.Varicosis is a disease of the entire circulatory system, so it is associated with pathology in cardiac activity, the process of damaged blood formation.

Types of illness

Varicosis can be damaged by certain vessels.Depending on which of them they failed to work, doctors distinguish several types of pathology:

To understand what the disease looks like, it is necessary to consider each type of varicose veins in the legs separately:

The name of the reticula comes from the reticular veins, having a diameter of size not more than 2 mm.This species will be presented in the picture in the form of small nets, thin lines, standing stars.They are visible, as they are located near the surface of the dermis.Women often notice such manifestations on the lateral surface of the thigh.Reticular varicose veins are not dangerous.Such a variety of disease does not cause discomfort (except aesthetics), does not cause serious complications.
The magic appearance - the trunk of a small or large subcutaneous vein is affected, which leads to the expansion of the protocol veins.The name also comes from a failure in the work of a particular baggage.If a large boat is damaged, the photograph of varicose veins in the foot will be this: large tubercles similar to rivers, curved lines.When they do not work in the work of a small vein, similar signs occur, but they have a less pronounced shape.This is a dangerous form of pathology, which threatens premature treatment with serious complications;
Segmental.The prototting veins are affected, with a diameter of 3 mm.These are large vessels, so the disease can be detected independently.Symptoms appear in the photo of varicose veins at the initial stage of the segmental type.It represents small swelling, small tubercles on the surface of the dermis.They do not have a blue or red shade.With the premature search of a doctor, the tubercles can expand and turn into large bruises.In case of early diagnosis by the disease, you can get rid of sclerotherapy;
The most dangerous and dangerous varicose veins come from the name of the perforant veins.They play a major role in the circulatory system.These veins connect deep dishes to the surfaces.Often such a loss leads to surgery.In the picture, the disease resembles large or medium size tubercles, irregularities on the surface of the skin.They can be single or joined in a single structure, becoming even more voluminous in size.

It is important to seek medical help in order to avoid unpleasant consequences, not bring the disease to the need for surgery.The main one is also the prevention of varicose veins.It consists of wearing appropriate accurate shoes made from natural fabrics with single orthopedic.Do not give an excess load on the lower extremities.Men, like women, need to be more attentive to their feet, often inspect them for the presence of damage and the symptoms of varicose veins.

How the varicose veins look like - pictures and signs

What does varicose veins look like?

Varicose veins - the disease is very secretive, as the first signs of its development usually pass for a person significantly.As a rule, the patient perceives fatigue and exacerbation in the leg as a result of severe working days.

In many cases, it is, but this is not a reason not to monitor the condition of the blood vessels in the lower extremities.Therefore, we will talk further about what this disease is, and also consider the types and extent of the appearance of varicose veins in the picture.

Varicose veins - the characteristics of the pathology

Walking varicose is not only a cosmetic problem that causes people to concern their appearance, but also a very dangerous pathology that requires adequate therapy, in time and respect for preventive measures.

Reference Hunger faces suffer from varicose veins several times more often than men.

Varicose veins of lower extremities- a disease characterized by the appearance of vein enlargement.In addition, there is a violation of blood flow, which leads to stagnant phenomena in the circulatory system.

To figure out what varicose veins are (see photo), you must consider the process of its occurrence.

The veins set in the legs havespecial valve.They performBlood passes exclusively in one direction (up) and prevents it from being stalled.

Failure in the operation of these valves leads to the fact thatBlood gets the opportunity to move in the opposite direction (down), which prevents its emergence.

As a result, vessels lose normal elasticity and under blood pressure begins to expand and deform.All this provokes the development of the initial stage of the disease.

ReferenceSymptoms of the disease can occur in different areas of the lower extremities, especially in the hips, under the knees, in calves, varicose veins are also often found (photo below).

The factors that provoke the development of this pathology are a large number:Starting with a sedentary lifestyle, physical overload, bad habits and ending with hereditary predisposition, hormonal malfunctions and congenital weakness of the blood vessel walls.

Many people, without understanding the seriousness of the problem, are not rushing to contact a specialist, but start practicing themselves -Mericia.

However, this is not a production, as independent use of vascular drugs is harmful to health.In addition, they are unable to solve the problem.A competent integrated approach is needed here.

By defining the traits of the development of the pathology, then we will consider what the varicose veins look like depending on the type of development.

Varicose vein rate

The community of world scientists systematized the manifestations of varicose disease of the lower extremities.

REFERENCE.This classification is called pathology of clinical etiological anatomy).

In accordance with the compiled classification, 7 degrees (stages) of the disease are distinguished:

zero- The situation in which a person experiences severity in the legs, swelling, convulsions, but not visual manifested.During special exams, there are no deviations;
1 degrees Varicose veins (see photo below)- Vascular stars appear and the same signs are observed as in the previous scale;
Second- inflated veins or nodes of blue become visible, which can be increased in size from excess physical exercise or prolonged stay in a position;
Third- All of the above features are complemented by regular swelling, which is especially visible in the evening.In the morning, it may disappear, but until the evening appears again;
Fourth-Due in energy failure, trophic processes in the vascular system begin.Around the veins, the skin becomes brown or black.Inflammation in the skin can develop: from minor redness to large crying wounds;
Fifth- all 4 -degree symptoms plus prolonged trophic ulcer;
Sixth- actively acting, non -healing trophic ulcer.

Such a disease should be treated immediately, and the better the better.The last stages of varicose veins are dangerous, but also possible serious complications that can lead to death.

In addition, the first phase photos of the varicose veins look quite normal, but the photos are later shocked.

cONcluSiON

Information and pictures of varicose veins should make you think about what you need to be attentive to your health and guide the right lifestyle.Preventive measures in this case are the ability to avoid this disease.

If, due to the anatomical characteristics of the body, vein losses occur, then they should be treated immediately.

Varicose veins need urgent treatment, the lack of which can be transformed into serious consequences: the development of thrombophlebitis, bleeding from the venous joints, and a trophic ulcer, capable of provoking amputation of the foot.