Turning 65? Here Is What Happens to Your Veins as You Age

Why Vein Disease Is One of the Biggest Health Issues Facing Baby Boomers Today

Right now, something remarkable is happening in America. Every day in 2025, approximately 11,400 people turn 65. That is not a typo. According to the Alliance for Lifetime Income, more Americans are reaching retirement age this year than at any other point in history. Researchers are calling it the "Peak 65" wave, the final surge of Baby Boomers entering their senior years.

This is wonderful news in many ways. People are living longer, staying more active, and expecting more from their golden years than any previous generation. But longer lives also come with real health challenges, and one of the most common and most overlooked is vein disease.

If you are in your 60s or 70s and you have noticed aching or tired legs, swelling around your ankles, varicose veins that seem to be getting worse, or spider veins spreading across your calves, we’ve got good news…and bad news. These leg issues are not just cosmetic nuisances. They are signs of a real medical condition called venous insufficiency, and it is one of the most common vascular conditions affecting adults over 65.

The good news is that effective, outpatient, minimally invasive vein treatment is available, and age is not a barrier to getting these procedures.

Have questions about your vein health or leg symptoms? The board-certified vein specialists at Center for Vein Restoration have helped hundreds of thousands of patients just like you. With more than 120 locations nationwide, expert care is closer than you think. Find a location near you.

Why Does Age Affect Your Veins So Much?

To understand why vein problems become more common as we age, it helps to first understand how veins work.

Your veins have a tough job. They carry blood from your legs all the way back up to your heart, working against gravity every single second of the day. Inside each vein, there are tiny one-way valves that open and close to keep blood moving in the right direction. When those valves function properly, blood flows smoothly upward. When they weaken or fail, blood starts to flow backward and pool in your lower legs.

According to Johns Hopkins Medicine, this valve failure is the root cause of chronic venous insufficiency (CVI), the medical term for the condition that leads to varicose veins, leg swelling, leg pain, and, if left untreated, serious skin changes and wounds.

Here is the part that surprises many people: aging is the single biggest risk factor for vein disease. Not just a risk factor, the biggest one. Here is why:

• Vein valves wear out over time, just like the hinges on a door that has been opened and closed millions of times.
• The walls of your veins become less elastic as you age, making it harder for blood to move through them efficiently.
• Your calf muscles, which act like a natural pump to push blood upward, get weaker with age, especially if you are less active or have lost muscle mass.

Research cited by the National Library of Medicine (NIH) shows that the prevalence of varicose veins doubles after age 65. In the United States, more than 33 million adults already have varicose veins, and over 6 million have advanced vein disease with symptoms like skin changes, open sores, and persistent leg swelling.

What Does Vein Disease Actually Feel Like?

This is an important question because many people dismiss their symptoms for years, assuming that leg discomfort and visible veins are just a normal part of getting older. They are not. They are signs of a treatable medical condition.

Common signs of vein problems in people over 65 include:

• Legs that feel heavy, tired, or achy, especially at the end of the day
• Swelling in the ankles or feet, often worse after long periods of sitting or standing
• Varicose veins that are twisted, bulging, or ropy under the skin
• Spider veins, those small red or blue web-like lines near the surface of the skin
• Itching, burning, or a feeling of heat in the lower legs
• Skin that has darkened, thickened, or hardened around the ankle area
• Restless legs at night, making it hard to sleep
• Wounds near the ankle that are slow to heal or keep coming back

If any of those symptoms sound familiar, do not wait to find out if they will go away on their own. 

They will not. 

Vein disease is progressive, and the longer it goes untreated, the harder it is to treat. Left unaddressed, venous insufficiency can lead to skin discoloration and darkening around the lower legs, changes in skin texture that leave the skin feeling hard or leathery, painful venous ulcers that are extremely difficult to heal, and a higher risk of deep vein thrombosis (DVT), a blood clot that can travel to the lungs and become life-threatening. 

These are not rare worst-case scenarios. They are the predictable outcome of untreated vein disease in older adults.

Do Not Wait for Vein Problems to Get Worse

The board-certified vein specialists at Center for Vein Restoration are the nation’s experts at evaluating your symptoms and creating a custom treatment plan built around you. With more than 120 locations nationwide, getting answers is closer than you think

📍Find a Center for Vein Restoration near you HERE
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📞 Prefer to speak with a Patient Representative directly? Call Center for Vein Restoration at 240-249-8250

Is This Just a Cosmetic Problem?

Absolutely not, and this is one of the most important things to understand about vein disease.

For years, varicose veins were dismissed as a cosmetic issue. Insurance companies were slow to cover treatment. Doctors minimized symptoms. Patients were told to wear compression stockings and live with the discomfort.

 That thinking is outdated and, frankly, harmful.

Research from Cleveland Clinic confirms that untreated venous insufficiency is a progressive condition, meaning it gets worse over time if not addressed. What starts as minor leg pain and swelling can develop into:

• Venous leg ulcers, which are open wounds that are extremely difficult to heal and can become infected
• Deep vein thrombosis (DVT), a blood clot in the deep veins of the leg that can be life-threatening if it travels to the lungs
• Pulmonary embolism (PE), a potentially fatal blood clot in the lungs
• Chronic pain and reduced mobility that limit daily activities and quality of life

A long-term study cited by the National Library of Medicine (NIH) and published on PubMed followed thousands of older adults and found that varicose veins in people over 65 were independently associated with heart failure and deep vein thrombosis. This is not a cosmetic issue. It is a circulatory health issue with real consequences.

The Hidden Cost of Waiting

One of the most common reasons people put off seeing a vein specialist is the assumption that treatment will be expensive, invasive, or not worth it at their age. All three of those assumptions are wrong.

According to figures reported by the National Library of Medicine (NIH), venous leg ulcers alone cost the U.S. healthcare system nearly $15 billion every year. For Medicare patients specifically, treating a single venous leg ulcer costs an average of nearly $19,000 per year. That is the cost of waiting.

Compare that to the cost of a minimally invasive vein procedure done in an outpatient clinic, which is covered by Medicare when medically necessary. Early treatment is not just better for your health. It is far less expensive for everyone involved.

Harvard Medical School's public health researchers have noted that with rising life expectancy, virtually every person who reaches their 80s will need some form of vein treatment in their lifetime. The question is not whether you will need it. The question is when you address it, and whether you address it before or after serious complications develop.

👉 Book your consultation with a CVR vein specialist today and discover how simple relief can be.

Are Older Adults Good Candidates for Vein Treatment?

Yes, and the research on this is clear.

Many older adults worry that they are "too old" for vein procedures or that the risk is too high. But modern vein treatments are nothing like the surgical procedures of decades past. Today's vein treatments are:

• Minimally invasive, meaning no large incisions or stitches
• Done in an outpatient clinic setting, not a hospital operating room
• Completed in under an hour in most cases
• Performed without general anesthesia
• Followed by an immediate return to normal daily activities

A research study, funded and published by the NIH, followed more than 1,000 patients aged 65 and older who underwent minimally invasive vein procedures. The results showed that their outcomes were as good as those of younger patients. 

The conclusion was direct: age alone should never be used to deny someone vein treatment.

Why Getting a Diagnosis Is So Hard Right Now

Here is something most patients do not know: there is a serious shortage of vein specialists in the United States, and it is getting worse, except at Center for Vein Restoration, where we have 80+ vein experts across 21+ states.

A 2025 study published in the Journal of Vascular Surgery found that demand for vascular specialists already far outpaces supply, and the gap is only growing. The shortage is worst in rural and suburban areas, precisely where large numbers of older Americans live. Vascular surgery currently ranks last among all surgical specialties in workforce adequacy, and the situation is projected to worsen through 2037.

On top of that, many primary care doctors have not received much training in diagnosing vein disease. Surveys show that nearly half of primary care physicians do not feel fully confident in identifying venous insufficiency, and the most common reason patients do not get referred to a vein center is simply that their doctor did not know who to call.

This means the burden often falls on you, the patient, to recognize your symptoms and request a referral. That is why knowing the signs of vein disease matters so much.

Your Vein Doctor's Training Matters More Than You Might Think

Finding a truly qualified vein specialist matters. At Center for Vein Restoration, every physician is board-certified in venous and lymphatic medicine, and CVR is one of the only vein practices in the country with an ABVLM-accredited fellowship program. That means the doctor treating you has completed rigorous, specialized training in the diagnosis and treatment of chronic venous disorders, not just a weekend course. 

When you choose CVR, you choose a vein expert who has earned that title. 

Does Medicare Cover Vein Treatment?

This is one of the most common questions people ask, and the answer is yes, when the treatment is medically necessary.

Medicare covers a range of vein treatments when your doctor documents that you have symptoms, confirmed reflux (backward blood flow) on an ultrasound, and that you have tried conservative measures like compression stockings. Covered treatments include:

• Duplex ultrasound to diagnose venous reflux and map vein disease
• Endovenous ablation, which uses heat or laser energy to close off damaged veins
• Sclerotherapy, which uses an injectable solution to collapse spider veins and small varicose veins
• Ambulatory phlebectomy, which removes surface varicose veins through tiny punctures

At Center for Vein Restoration, our dedicated staff has helped countless people navigate the insurance process—and we can help you, too! Call CVR for more information: 877-425-2608.

Center for Vein Restoration: Built for Patients Like You

Center for Vein Restoration (CVR) is the nation's largest physician-led vein practice, with more than 120 clinic locations across 21 states. The practice was built with one goal in mind: to make expert vein treatment accessible to every patient who needs it, no matter where they live.

Here is what sets CVR apart:

• Every CVR physician specializes in vein care.
• CVR accepts Medicare and most major insurance plans, and handles the prior authorization and documentation process for you.
• Same-day DVT rule-out assessments are available through CVR's 877-SCAN-DVT line, so you do not have to go to an emergency room if you are concerned about a blood clot.
• CVR's patient satisfaction rate is 98 percent
• CVR's ABVLM-accredited fellowship program is actively training the next generation of vein specialists to meet the growing demand for expert vein care across the country.

Ready to take the next step? Whether you have been living with varicose veins for years or you just started noticing leg pain and swelling, the vein experts at Center for Vein Restoration are here to help. 

Frequently Asked Questions

1. I am in my 70s. Am I too old to have vein treatment?
   No. Research is clear that older adults achieve the same excellent outcomes from minimally invasive vein procedures as younger patients do. Modern vein treatments are outpatient, require no general anesthesia, and allow you to walk out of the clinic and resume normal activities the same day. Age alone is never a reason to avoid getting the care you need.
2. My doctor said my varicose veins are just cosmetic. Should I get a second opinion?
   If your varicose veins are accompanied by leg pain, swelling, skin changes, or any of the other symptoms listed in this article, they are not just cosmetic. They are signs of venous insufficiency, a real medical condition. A second opinion from a dedicated vein specialist at Center for Vein Restoration is entirely reasonable and may significantly change your treatment plan.
3. How do I know if my leg swelling is from my veins or something else?
   Leg swelling can have several causes, including heart or kidney problems, medication side effects, and venous insufficiency. A vein doctor can evaluate your symptoms and order a duplex ultrasound to determine whether vein disease is contributing to the swelling. It is important to get a proper diagnosis rather than assume the cause.
4. What happens if I just keep wearing compression stockings without getting treatment
   Compression stockings help manage symptoms, but they do not treat the underlying valve damage that causes vein disease. Without addressing the root cause, venous insufficiency tends to progress over time. Stockings are a management tool, not a cure. Medical guidelines from organizations like the Society for Vascular Surgery now recommend minimally invasive treatment as the preferred approach for most patients with confirmed reflux and symptoms.
5. Does Medicare really cover vein treatment?
   Yes, when the treatment is medically necessary. Medicare covers duplex ultrasound, endovenous ablation, sclerotherapy, and ambulatory phlebectomy when your symptoms and ultrasound findings meet the required criteria, and you have documented a trial of conservative treatment. Center for Vein Restoration's team handles the insurance and documentation process for patients directly.
6. What is the difference between varicose veins and spider veins?
   Varicose veins are larger, twisted veins that bulge visibly under the skin, most commonly in the legs and thighs. They are caused by failed valves in the larger surface veins. Spider veins are small, web-like clusters of red, blue, or purple lines near the skin's surface. Both can be signs of underlying venous insufficiency, though spider veins are sometimes purely cosmetic. A vein expert can perform an ultrasound to determine what is going on beneath the surface.