What are the valves found in our veins?
The valves in our veins are there to allow the blood to flow up the leg towards the heart and to prevent any backward flow down the leg. When they are not working properly, backward flow begins to occur and there is a build up of pressure inside the veins. Persistent high pressure developed in this way damages the tiny blood vessels in the skin. The skin then becomes thin and inflamed, doesn’t heal properly, and easily breaks down, leaving an ulcer. Some people are born with defective heart valves. In the case of others, the valves are damaged after a venous thrombosis (that’s a blood clot forming within a vein). Valves tend to weaken as we grow older.
