Varicose veins of the lower extremities are lesions in which the superficial veins of the lower extremities become dilated, lengthened, and bent into clusters, and in advanced stages may be complicated by chronic ulcers. The disease is mostly seen in middle-aged men, or long-term weight-bearing or standing workers. Because this disease is very common, many people are prone to enter several misunderstandings about it. Misconception 1: Simple vein stripping can cure varicose veins. Since varicose veins are caused by a variety of diseases, the means of treatment vary. If venous stripping is performed on patients with deep vein thrombosis, it may be counterproductive and aggravate the condition. In the case of venous insufficiency of the lower extremities, venous stripping alone has a high recurrence rate. Misconception two: varicose veins are vasculitis. Thrombo-occlusive vasculitis is an arterial ischemic disease of the lower extremities that occurs in middle-aged men who have a long history of smoking. While varicose vein patients are often accompanied by lower limb ulcers, but the arterial blood supply is normal and the possibility of amputation is very small. Therefore, patients do not need to have ideological concerns. Misconception three: hot compress can activate the blood, beneficial to the disease. Varicose veins patients in addition to superficial venous thrombophlebitis can be appropriate hot compress, should try to avoid hot compress, infrared radiation, etc.. The main reason is that hot compress can lead to the expansion of arteries in the lower extremities, increase blood flow and aggravate venous stasis. Patients should pay attention to keep the affected limbs dry and clean. Misconception four: suffer from “varicose veins” to be less active. In the past, it was thought that standing for a long time was the main cause of varicose veins in the lower limbs. In recent years, research studies have shown that the lack of activity of calf muscles is another important factor that causes varicose veins. So patients who are engaged in long time office work should move their lower limbs regularly to promote venous reflux. Myth 5: Varicose veins are caused by “walking hot and cold water on the lower limbs” when you are young. The cause of varicose veins is simply due to the congenital weakness of the venous valves of the superficial veins of the patients, coupled with the excessive standing or sitting in the lower extremities, which causes the pressure in the venous lumen of the lower extremities to increase, resulting in the expansion and tortuousness of the venous lumen, thus leading to varicose veins. In clinical practice, we see many patients whose occupations are teachers, chefs, police officers, supermarket salesmen and so on. In a few patients, there is an obstruction in the main artery of venous return to the heart (inferior vena cava) in the lower extremities, leading to secondary varicose veins. Therefore, the cause of varicose veins has nothing to do with whether or not they have been “dipped in cold water”. Myth 6: Injections and medication can cure varicose veins. The so-called “injection” refers to local sclerotherapy injection, which was widely used in primary hospitals in the 60s and 70s because of its simple operation and low cost. However, because of the high recurrence rate and complications, it is no longer used in large hospitals in China for moderate and severe varicose veins. Foam sclerotherapy (polyglactin) injection for mild varicose veins has achieved very good results. It is mainly applied to those who have only mildly dilated superficial subcutaneous veins and the patients have no obvious conscious symptoms. Many patients feel that the dilated veins affect the aesthetics of their legs. By injecting sclerosing agents, it is possible to achieve closure of the venous lumen, prevent further dilatation of the vein and achieve cosmetic leg appearance. Medication is an adjunctive treatment that cannot cure the pathological changes in the veins, but can reduce the symptoms of swelling and distension in the lower extremities to some extent.