For decades, varicose veins were dismissed as a cosmetic nuisance, a set of bulging blue lines that older relatives complained about but rarely treated. That perception is changing fast, and the numbers explain why. The figures provide an explanation for why that impression is rapidly shifting. Recent clinical reviews estimate that around 22 million women and 11 million men in India between the ages of 40 and 80 have varicose veins; other demographic estimates place the overall prevalence at 15 to 20 percent of adult Indians. The illness affects up to 23 percent of adults worldwide, with women being disproportionately impacted. What was once considered an inevitable part of ageing is increasingly showing up in people in their 30s and 40s, and doctors across the country are reporting a sharp uptick in younger patients seeking treatment for vein disorders. A Disorder of Modern Habits Varicose veins develop when the one-way valves in leg veins deteriorate, blood can pool rather than return to the heart. Age and genetics have always been factors, but vascular experts also identify a number of contemporary lifestyle factors that speed up this process: sedentary commutes, long workdays at desks or counters, rising obesity rates, and a sharp decline in regular physical activity. Research on professionals who spend a lot of time on their feet, such as nurses and teachers, has consistently revealed significantly higher rates of the condition than the general population. This highlights how occupation and posture, rather than merely genes, now influence who gets the disease and when. Clinicians are recasting varicose veins as a lifestyle disease rather than a cosmetic one, which makes sense when you consider India’s rapidly expanding urban workforce, longer commutes, and an increasingly desk-bound service sector. The problem rarely remains unchanged if left untreated. It can develop from obvious, painful veins to swelling, skin discoloration, and in more severe cases, chronic venous ulcers that are far more difficult to heal. Because of this trend, early detection and therapy are now at the forefront of discussions. Avis Vascular Centre’s Pioneering Role In light of this, Avis Vascular Center has established itself as India’s first dedicated chain devoted solely to vein and vascular care. Avis was founded by Dr. Rajah V. Koppala, a pioneer in vascular and interventional radiology. With the goal of treating varicose veins with same-day, minimally invasive procedures are carried out under local anesthesia. This avoids lengthy hospital stays and invasive stripping surgery. Over the years, the network has grown to more than 30 locations in seven states across India, treating tens of thousands of patients and building one of the country’s largest bodies of clinical experience in venous diseases. Avis was also among the first providers in India to introduce Cryo Laser and Cryo Sclerotherapy, or CLACS, a technique that combines cooling with laser energy to treat surface and reticular veins with less discomfort. Alongside CLACS, its centres now offer the full spectrum of modern venous treatment: Endovenous Laser Therapy (EVLT), Radiofrequency Ablation (RFA), Ultrasound-Guided Foam Sclerotherapy, and VenaSeal, a cyanoacrylate glue closure that uses medical adhesive instead of heat to quickly seal a clogged vein. Rather than relying just on one conventional process, this variety enables doctors to tailor the therapy to the vein involved. This strategy has enabled the hospital network claim more than 90% success rates and garnered it praise and recognition, including a Times Network award for varicose vein care. What’s New in Treatment The broader field has moved decisively away from open surgery over the past two decades. Endovenous thermal ablation, which offers similar long-term benefits with far less downtime, has successfully replaced classic vein stripping as the clinical benchmark. This procedure uses laser or radiofrequency energy administered through a tiny catheter under ultrasound guidance. Newer laser wavelengths intended to lessen post- procedure discomfort and bruising are recent advances. Additionally, there is increasing evidence that combining laser ablation with foam sclerotherapy can result in more thorough closure in complicated cases. Non-thermal techniques such as VenaSeal are also gaining traction because they eliminate the need for the tumescent anaesthesia injections that thermal procedures require. The global vein-treatment device market is growing steadily, attributable to the rising incidence of obesity-linked venous disease, the expansion of dedicated vein-care clinics around the world, and the ongoing shift of procedures from hospital settings to speciality ambulatory care – a model Avis has already established on a large scale in India. Looking further ahead, researchers are investigating robotic-assisted vein procedures and even early-stage nanotechnology to repair damaged venous valves, but these technologies are still years away from routine clinical use. For now, vascular doctors’ realistic message is more straightforward: patients have little reason to wait until the situation worsens because today, minimally invasive alternatives are widely available. The Takeaway As sedentary work, obesity, and extended sitting or standing hours become the norm in urban India, varicose veins are losing their old image as a minor cosmetic complaint. Vascular specialists are increasingly describing it as a chronic illness that deserves early intervention similar to other lifestyle-related disorders like diabetes or hypertension. With networks like Avis Vascular Centre having spent years building the infrastructure, technology, and clinical expertise to treat it quickly and painlessly, the bigger challenge now is awareness: getting patients to recognise the early signs of vein conditions before giving them a chance to progress. Contact Information: Avis Hospitals | Avis Vascular Centre www.avishospitals.com www.avisvascularcentre.com Call: +91 7207948545 (No Times Now Journalists are involved in creation of this article.)

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