Can leeches be used to treat varicose veins?

Varicose Veins
Varicose Veins

Varicose veins are a common problem, affecting up to 1 in 3 adults in their lifetime. They are usually a sign of an underlying venous insufficiency.
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Thread Veins

Thread veins can appear anywhere on the body but are mostly evidenced on the legs and face. They are more common than varicose veins, affecting up to 80% of adults.
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Leg Ulcers

Leg ulcers appear as broken skin in the lower leg or feet. We have been successfully treating venous leg ulcers for over 20 years.
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The simple answer is no. This applies to all CAM (Complementary Alternative Medicine) ‘treatments’ for varicose veins. Varicose veins need proper scientific investigation and management. Clinics offering such treatments are at present subject to formal complaints.

Leeches suck the blood out of veins, which, from a pseudoscientific view, may sound sensible; but if blood is drained from a vein and nothing done to kill the vein wall, it will just fill up again. A further downside, apart from the fact that leeches will have no beneficial effect, is the damage they can cause.

See below photo of a patient who has had leech treatment. It clearly shows that the veins are still there but also the scars from where the leeches latched on to the skin.