They appear as enlarged, bulging, twisted veins underneath the skin and can also cause brownish-gray discoloration around the ankle. They can lead to leg ulcers and sometimes are painful. Normally, the valves help propel blood to the heart but, as a result of pregnancy, blood clot, congenital weakness, obesity or other factors, the valves become stretched. When the valves are weakened and no longer able to close normally, blood pools in the veins. As a result, the veins enlarge and become varicose.
Treatment includes avoiding standing or sitting for long periods.
At the end of the day, elevate the legs at least 12 inches above the level of the heart. This will help relieve swelling. We suggest your girlfriend visit a doctor to be sure these actually are varicose veins and to find out if they are impairing the circulation in her legs at all. If they are varicose veins, regular exercise is valuable. Walking, biking or swimming will decrease the pressure in the veins and ease the discomfort.