Bowed legs "Genu Varum" in a 20 years old female

Dear Ask The Doctor: Hi there, my name is Sarah and I am a 20 year old female. I have got a question about my legs. From the age of about 16 I have noticed that my legs have bowed out quite a bit over the years. I went to the doctor for this at 16, however my doctor did not take it too serious and told me I am just imagining things and that that was not possible for legs to do so. Now, however, when I stand up straight and put my feet together, it has come to the point where my ankles are just a millimeter or two short of touching (I was told by my doctor at the time that this is when the condition requires medical attention?). I also get pains in my knee (and ankle) area regularly, and get random small bruises on my knees too at times when I have walked excessively. Is this I should be very worried about? Also, is there any corrective surgeries available and If so are they done privately? I really want to go to my doctor about this again, but I just do not want to be told to forget about it and be sent home; my legs (as the years have gone by) have been regularly painful when I walk which I don't believe is something a 20 year old should feel in the first place. Thank you. Thanks.

Dear Sarah: “Genu Varum” or Bowed legs, is when the knees are apart and ankles together while standing. The causes are many, for example: intrauterine positions, rickets (osteomalacia, vitamin D deficiency), arthritis, other bone disorders and more rare diseases. The treatment is based on the age and the severity of the deformity and may be conservative (bracing in children less than 3 years old for 9-12 months) or Surgical (mostly indicated for late onset of Genu Varum by corrective osteotomy in patients older than 4 years old that did not respond to conservative treatment and in adolescents may be corrected by a osteotomy to restore the normal alignment of the legs).