MedicineNet, Inc. explains that bruises occur when tiny blood-vessels are broken and the blood leaks into the surrounding area. Because the fragility of the vessels increases with age, bruising can appear in the legs without blunt-force trauma or injury to the veins.
Varicose veins in the legs appear when blood pools in the vein; these veins often exhibit bruising and are frequently treated with therapy. Sclerotherapy is a chemical process where sclerosant is injected into a varicose vein to irritate the vein's lining; it closes off the vessel and causes it to collapse. After several days, the vein disappears.
According to WebMD, a new, less invasive procedure uses a catheter to administer the sclerosant chemical along with duplex ultrasound. The procedure is used on both smaller or larger veins, and it does not involve any downtime.
