A few weeks ago, my husband Chris decided it was finally time to have the varicose veins in one of his legs treated. They date back to a leg injury he suffered as a teenager. For years, they were simply something he lived with. Recently, however, they had begun causing discomfort, and as he has gotten older, the skin over those veins has become thinner and more fragile, increasing the likelihood that even a minor bump could result in significant bleeding.
Some people would describe treatment for varicose veins as cosmetic. We viewed it differently. Addressing a condition before it becomes an emergency is exactly the type of preventive care health care should encourage.