What is varicose veins?
Varicose veins are swollen, twisting veins visible beneath the skin of the legs, caused by valves inside the veins failing so that blood pools instead of flowing back to the heart. They range from a cosmetic nuisance to a cause of aching, heaviness, swelling, itching and night cramps, and in more advanced cases skin damage or ulcers around the ankle.
They are very common, affecting roughly one in three adults at some point, with risk increased by family history, pregnancy, prolonged standing occupations and age. Diagnosis is confirmed with a duplex ultrasound scan, which maps which valves are leaking and guides treatment. Modern care has moved almost entirely from stripping surgery to minimally invasive techniques done under local anaesthetic.
Common symptoms
- Bulging, rope-like veins on the legs
- Aching, heaviness or throbbing, worse after standing
- Swollen ankles by the end of the day
- Itching or dry skin over the veins
- Night-time leg cramps or restless legs
- Skin discolouration around the ankle in longstanding cases
- Bleeding or ulceration in advanced disease
How long will you wait?
NHS treatment for varicose veins is restricted to cases with skin changes, ulcers or significant complications, and even eligible patients commonly wait many months, often towards the longer end of current elective backlogs.
Privately, you can typically see a consultant within 3–7 days, with a duplex scan at the same visit and treatment usually scheduled within 2–4 weeks.
NHS England median referral-to-treatment wait: 12.4 weeks, with 2.5 million people waiting over 18 weeks (May 2026). Individual waits vary by trust and urgency.
Treatment options
- Compression stockings. Graduated stockings ease aching and swelling but do not remove the veins or stop progression.
- Endothermal ablation (laser or radiofrequency). A catheter seals the faulty vein from inside under local anaesthetic; the standard first-line treatment.
- Foam sclerotherapy. An irritant foam injected into smaller varicose veins makes them close down and fade.
- Phlebectomy. Bulging surface veins are removed through tiny incisions, often at the same session as ablation.
What does private treatment cost?
As a guide, private endothermal ablation typically costs around £2,000–£3,500 per leg in the UK in 2026, with foam sclerotherapy for smaller veins from around £500–£1,500 per session.
Does health insurance cover varicose veins?
Cover for varicose veins depends heavily on why treatment is needed: insurers generally pay for treatment of symptomatic veins causing medical problems, but not for purely cosmetic improvement, and many apply specific criteria or require photographs and scan evidence. Veins present before your policy started are usually excluded as pre-existing. It is worth getting written pre-authorisation before booking, as varicose veins are one of the most commonly queried claims.
Frequently asked questions
Why won't the NHS treat my varicose veins?
NHS commissioning guidance reserves treatment for veins causing complications, such as skin changes, healed or active ulcers, superficial vein clots or significant bleeding. Aching, heaviness and cosmetic concerns alone usually do not qualify at most trusts. This is a rationing decision rather than a clinical judgement that treatment would not help, and it is a major reason people choose private treatment.
What is recovery like after laser or radiofrequency ablation?
These are walk-in, walk-out procedures under local anaesthetic. You walk immediately afterwards, and most people return to desk work within a day or two. Expect some bruising, tightness and a pulling sensation along the treated vein for a week or two, managed with simple painkillers and compression stockings. Strenuous exercise is usually restricted for about a week; long-haul flights are best avoided for a few weeks.
Will my varicose veins come back after treatment?
Modern ablation permanently closes the treated vein, with success rates above 90 per cent, but varicose veins are a progressive condition and new veins can develop elsewhere in the leg over the years. Roughly one in five people need a top-up treatment within five to ten years. Staying active, managing weight and wearing compression on long standing days all help.