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 brother found a treatment that worked, she decided to explore the idea of medical intervention for herself. Joanne says that thanks to the “life-changing” treatment she received from Veincentre in Liverpool, she now has the confidence to wear a dress to her son’s wedding this year.
She said: “I have four children so I never had the time or money to do it but now they’re grown up. It’s the best thing I’ve ever done. It’s been life-changing for my confidence.
” The initial consultation was in early February with Joanne having Endovenous Laser Ablation (EVLA) treatment two weeks later on both legs. She added: “In my consultation, the doctor noticed a lump on my other leg which was the start of varicose veins. So he treated both legs to prevent it from developing.
I walked in and walked out again. It only took two hours. My dad came with me and he was surprised that I was able to walk out.
“I was anxious about choosing to have the procedure and having the local anaesthetic was uncomfortable but then I couldn’t feel anything when the treatment was undertaken. I completely relaxed when the first leg was done.” Joanne, who works as an HR director, worked from home the day after her procedure but returned to the office that week.
She added: “I’m so glad I finally did it. I’d thought about it for years, especially when I was invited to weddings, as I couldn't wear what I wanted to wear. I’ve been on holiday since and my wardrobe was completely different.
I’ve also bought a dress for my son’s wedding. I really didn’t want to wear trousers for that.” What are varicose veins? According to the NHS, Varicose veins are swollen, twisted veins under the skin, usually on the legs.
They may feel lumpy and bulge out. They're most common on the legs, but you can get them on other body parts. The symptoms may be worse after standing for a long time, and may get better when you rest with your legs up.
Varicose Veins are not uncommon and are not usually serious, but some treatments can help if they're causing problems. What is EVLA treatment? EVLA is the procedure of destroying the affected veins, from the inside, with a laser. Dr Nirmal Kakani, consultant interventional radiologist of Veincentre, said: “This procedure is performed under local anaesthetic.
An ultrasound scan is used to guide the laser into place which is then slowly pulled along the faulty valves delivering heat to seal the vein. “This is repeated on all of the veins that have been identified as causing your varicose veins. It’s a gold-standard treatment and usually patients are in and out in around two hours.
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