What are my treatment options?
ENDOVENOUS LASER REMOVAL (EVLT)
A thin fiber is inserted into the damaged vein via a very small skin nick. Laser light energy, the same type of energy that is used in other types of medical procedures such as eye surgery and dermatology, is delivered to the targeted tissue, which reacts with the light, causing the vein to close and seal shut.
The veins that are closed are superficial veins that handle less than five percent of the body's blood flow. The blood is automatically routed to other, healthy veins. The EVLT procedure has little to no side effects, and allows you to resume normal activity almost immediately. The procedure has been shown to be more than 95% effective in clinical trials.
SCLEROTHERAPY
The most common treatment for spider veins on the legs is sclerotherapy. This involves the injection of a sclerosing agent into the veins, which irritates the vessels, causing them to scar and become less noticeable. It usually takes 3-5 sessions to provide the most effective results. Veins gradually disappear within three to six months. Sclerotherapy can also improve circulation in your legs.
PHELEBECTOMY
Ambulatory phlebectomy is a method of removing varicose veins on the surface of the legs. It is done in the office under local anesthesia. This procedure involves making tiny incisions through which the varicose veins are removed. The incisions are so small no stitches are required. Veins are very collapsible such that even large veins may be removed through the tiny incisions used in this technique. The patient is able to walk following the procedure with minimal pain and discomfort.
COMPRESSION STOCKINGS
Stockings with graduated compression are the most commonly prescribed conservative treatment. They are made of strong elastic designed to apply graduated degrees of pressure from the ankles to the hips. Support stockings help maintain pressure in calf muscles (the second heart) and prevent superficial leg veins from pooling with blood. While support stockings with compression were once unsightly and uncomfortable, popular hosiery manufacturers now make compression stockings that are attractive, comfortable, and available in a variety of colors, styles, and degrees of pressure. In some cases, compression stockings will be a part of treatment for larger varicose veins.