Emma Chitty, The West Australian | Updated March 28, 2013, 12:08 pm

Gone are the days when the removal of ugly veins meant undergoing a general anaesthetic, enduring a painful procedure and having possibly a lengthy hospital stay – new, less invasive treatments are now used routinely by clinics around WA with lasting results.

Unsightly veins are the bane of many women because they can be painful, they severely restrict clothing choices and, because the cause is often genetic, there can be no stopping their arrival.

However, there’s no need to put up with them.

The worst offender is varicose veins. These are veins which are enlarged, raised and twisted. Varicose veins are up to three times more common in women than in men and are genetic.

Extended periods of standing, being overweight, hormonal changes and pregnancy can contribute to the arrival or worsening of the veins, which usually appear in the legs due to the pressure of carrying blood from the bottom of the body to the heart.