Look after your legs THIS WINTER

From unsightly veins to skin problems and ulcers, here's all you need to know to keep your legs in tip-top condition

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A change in temperature might mean that we hide our legs away but it's important not to forget about them during winter because the seasonal shift can bring problems. Our blood vessels constrict when the temperature drops, affecting our circulation, and the harsh winter weather and central heating play havoc with our skin, drying it out and causing redness and itchiness. Winter also means we move less, which has a knock-on effect on our weight and the health of our veins.

UNSIGHTLY VARICOSE VEINS

If you hate your legs because of your veins, you are not alone. More than half of all women will develop varicose veins during their lifetime, and they don't just look unsightly - they raise your risk of blood clots, and can lead to circulation and skin problems, leg pain and ulcers.

'You can get hidden varicose veins in your legs too,' says Professor Mark Whiteley, a consultant venous surgeon and phlebologist. These affect veins deeper in your legs, so aren't visible on the surface.

You'll only know for sure that you have them through a venous duplex ultrasound scan, although they can cause the same symptoms as visible varicose veins - heavy, tender, achy and tired legs, thread/ spider veins and swollen ankles with brown or red staining.

Healthy veins take blood from our feet and legs - where it has taken vital oxygen and nutrients - to the heart. But because it's working against gravity, the blood will try to flow the wrong way. This is prevented by one-way valves in our veins that open and close to let blood through. 'Varicose veins occur when the small valves in our leg veins fail,' says Prof Whiteley. 'This allows blood to fall back to the ankles and feet, and collect in veins.'