A mum-of-four has found the courage to wear dresses again after her self-confidence was shattered by an unsightly condition for more than two decades. Joanne Twist, 54, from St Helens first noticed her varicose veins in her 20s. What began as a few lumps on the back of her leg evolved into extensive varicose veins that covered her entire leg, accompanied by thread veins around her ankle, leaving it "black and swollen.
" The condition, though painless, took a toll on Joanne's mental health, causing her to avoid wearing skirts, shorts, or dresses for years, keeping her lower body hidden. READ MORE: Doctor reveals the infection-causing fungus that could be hiding in your makeup bag Joanne said: "I started developing them in my 20s when I was pregnant with my second child. But it does run in my family too; my brother has them, and so did my grandad.
It just got worse and worse. I didn’t have any pain, but it impacted my mental health." For years, Joanne's condition prevented her from wearing what she wanted, she added: "If I went to a wedding I’d have to wear trousers.
I’d only have my legs out on holiday after a spray tan. “Last year when I came home from holiday, my ankle had swelled so much in the heat that I couldn’t put shoes on. I went to the doctor for the first time then and had physio to help.
” Having been refused treatment on the NHS due to the absence of pain Joanne was able to manage her condition without medical intervention for many years. But when her br.