What causes varicose veins an how do you get rid of them?

Varicose veins are gnarled, enlarged veins. The word varicose comes from the Latin root varix, which means "twisted." Any vein may become varicose, but the veins most commonly affected are those in your legs and feet. That's because you stand and walk upright, which increases the pressure in the veins in your lower body.

Causes
Arteries carry blood from your heart to the rest of your tissues. Veins return blood from the rest of your body to your heart, so the blood can be recirculated. To return blood to your heart, the veins in your legs must work against gravity. Muscle contractions in your lower legs act as pumps, while toned, elastic vein walls help blood return to your heart. Tiny one-way valves in your veins open as blood flows toward your heart then close to stop blood from flowing backward.
Varicose veins occur when the valves in your veins malfunction. As you get older your veins can lose elasticity, causing them to stretch. When this happens, blood that should be moving toward your heart may flow backward. Blood pools in your veins, and your veins enlarge and become varicose. The veins appear blue because they contain deoxygenated blood, which is in the process of being recirculated.
Some pregnant women develop varicose veins. Pregnancy increases the volume of blood in your body, but decreases the flow of blood from your legs to your pelvis. This circulatory change is designed to support the growing fetus, but it can produce an unfortunate side effect 鈥?enlarged veins in your legs.

Treatment
Self-help measures 鈥?such as exercising, losing weight, not wearing tight clothes, elevating your legs and avoiding long periods of standing or sitting 鈥?can ease pain and prevent varicose veins from getting worse. Varicose veins that develop during pregnancy generally improve without medical treatment within three months after delivery.
If your varicose veins don't respond to self-help or if they're more severe, your doctor may advise one of these treatments:
#Sclerotherapy. In this procedure, your doctor injects small- and medium-sized varicose veins with a solution that scars those veins.
#Laser surgeries. Doctors are using laser procedures more commonly to close off smaller varicose veins and spider veins, especially on the upper body and the face.
#Catheter-assisted procedures. In one of these treatments, your doctor inserts a thin tube (catheter) into an enlarged vein and heats the tip of the catheter.
#Vein stripping. This procedure involves removing a long vein through small incisions.
#Ambulatory phlebectomy (fluh-BEK-to-me). Your doctor removes smaller varicose veins through a series of tiny skin punctures.
#Endoscopic vein surgery. You might need this operation only in an advanced case involving leg ulcers.

Prevention
Exercise, Control your weight., Watch what you wear. (Avoid high heels and Don't wear tight clothes), Elevate your legs., Avoid long periods of sitting or standing. and Don't sit with your legs crossed. Source(s): http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/varicos...

WebMD.com
i used to be told that if you crossed your legs too much youd get them
more often than not, it is hereditary... standing too much for a long time or taking the stairs frequently triggers it.
Don't know how they occur but my mum got rid of hers by rubbing toothpaste on them! It's good for stretch marks as well.
Please see the webpage for more details on Varicose veins.